James S. Fellin CPA CFE CFF is the founder and Managing Principal of The Nottingham Group, LP. He has been performing forensic accounting services for over thirty-five years to counsel and clients in Pittsburgh and nationally. Prior to forming The Nottingham Group, Mr. Fellin spent almost 20 years working for large, national consulting and forensic accounting firms.
Mr. Fellin is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Pennsylvania and is also a Certified Fraud Examiner. Mr. Fellin has also obtained the designation of CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics) from the AICPA. In addition to his forensic accounting and consulting practice, Mr. Fellin also serves as an adjunct professor of Forensic Accounting at local universities including Carlow University and California University of Pennsylvania. In this capacity, Mr. Fellin teaches core classes in the forensic accounting and criminal justice degree programs. In 2005, Mr. Fellin was nominated to and attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Citizen’s Academy in Pittsburgh. He completed the academy training in May of 2006.
Mr. Fellin also was appointed by the Office of the United States Trustee to serve on the panel of Trustees as a Subchapter V Trustee in Chapter 11 cases in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Fellin currently serves in that role and has numerous ongoing bankruptcy matters where he is providing oversight in bankruptcy matters.
Mr. Fellin has extensive experience conducting forensic accounting investigations in a variety of matters. His expertise includes performing damage and economic loss analysis, conducting fraud investigations, performing special purpose audits and reviews and performing valuation analysis and business valuation. Over his 35-year career, he has assisted counsel and clients on matters involving a myriad of issues including business and personal losses and damages, bankruptcy, fraud and impropriety, and business and asset valuation, among others. His analysis and opinions have been utilized as evidence in various legal forums, and have served as the basis for settlement, damages and criminal proceedings.
Mr. Fellin has testified numerous times as an expert witness on various forensic accounting and business issues. He has provided written and oral testimony in a variety of matters in Federal and State Courts and at arbitration proceedings. In addition, Mr. Fellin has also served in a variety of court appointed roles including being appointed receiver by the Securities Commission, serving as a Custodian in business disputes, and serving as a court appointed Examiner and Trustee to the US Bankruptcy Court.
Mr. Fellin is actively involved with numerous professional organizations including the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) on a local and national level. Mr. Fellin served as the Chapter President for several years and in 2021, was nominated by the Board of Directors to be President Emeritus of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the ACFE. Mr. Fellin is also a member of the American Institute of CPA’s, the Pennsylvania Institute of CPA’s, the Turnaround Management Association and the National Association of Forensic Economists.
Mr. Fellin serves as a speaker and presenter at local and national continuing education seminars and conferences. He has been asked to present on a myriad of topics including economic damages and loss, fraud and forensic accounting. Mr. Fellin has been published on various topics in a number of periodicals and professional journals. In the recent past, Mr. Fellin has had national speaking engagements on forensic accounting topics for the American Institute of CPA’s and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, as well as many local engagements for various entities and trade and professional groups.
Mr. Fellin received his Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University with a major in Accounting, and a minor in Finance. He also obtained a Masters degree in Fraud and Forensics from Carlow University.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Mr. Fellin also donates his time and skills to numerous charitable organizations and events. He has also served in varying capacities to various charitable and philanthropic groups which include, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Animal Friends, among many others.