jhart@dentbaker.com
James L. Hart celebrates his 39th anniversary at Dent, Baker & Company, LLP this year, having joined the firm in 1973. While Mr. Hart has led the firm in a number of areas during his career, including service as partner in charge of accounting and auditing and quality control, he has served as the firm’s litigation services partner for over 30 years. He served a 15 year term as the firm’s Managing Partner and CEO, and continues to lead the firm’s Forensic Accounting and Litigation Services Division as its Senior Partner.
A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Jim graduated from Samford University with a B.S. degree in Accounting and Business Administration, after which he served in the U.S. Navy during the final months of the Vietnam War.
Mr. Hart has earned the American Institute of CPA’s (AICPA) Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) designation, and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) designation; as well as the Institute of Business Appraisers (IBA) Certified Business Appraiser (CBA) designation. Each of these certifications represents, respectively, the very highest level of demonstrated accomplishment within the recognized field of specialization, and they add a unique dimension to Mr. Hart's forensic accounting practice.
In large part as the result of Hart’s long history of experience in litigation and forensic accounting services, Hart was appointed by Alabama’s Governor and is currently serving a four year term on the Alabama Securities Commission, the body responsible for regulating the securities industry statewide.
Mr. Hart holds the unique distinction of being a past recipient of the Gold Medal Award, which recognized the highest score in Alabama on the CPA exam.
Mr. Hart holds memberships in the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA), having served in a variety of offices and leadership positions, including terms on the CPA Society’s governing board, as well as a term as president of its Birmingham chapter.
Mr. Hart served the longest continuous term on the Samford University Brock School of Business Executive Advisory Council, and was the recipient of the school’s distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award in 2006 and in 2008 received the Beta Alpha Psi Distinguished Accounting Alumnus of the Year. During 2007-2008, Mr. Hart was honored to be named to serve as a founding board member of the Mann Center of Ethics and Leadership. These awards recognize Hart’s professional achievements, leadership, integrity, along with Hart’s support of the School of Business and its mission.
In his personal practice of forensic accounting, Hart’s opinions are often sought in connection with some of the largest and most prominent cases in the Southeast, and his opinions have been repeatedly cited by state and federal courts. In his largest case, taking some 9 years of litigation, 3 trials, and 2 appeals, a result exceeding $200 million was achieved for Hart’s clients. In other instances, Hart was selected by a federal court to arbitrate a $17 million international trading dispute, and Hart recently arbitrated a multi- million dollar commercial dispute over a failed business venture. When a complex accounting, taxation, or a financial matter needs to be understood by a jury or his clients, Mr. Hart possesses a unique ability to explain the often complex matters in plain, understandable English.
Mr. Hart is married to the former Dianna Davidson of Huntsville and they are the parents of 4 adult children.
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