Sir Nicholas Hilliard KC (born 1 May 1959),[1] is a British judge who served as Recorder of London, an ancient and senior legal post at the Old Bailey, and before that Common Serjeant of London, the Recorder's second, appointed to that office in May 2013.

[2] Promoted, in October 2019, a judge of the High Court of Justice, he took up that appointment on 19 November 2019[3] ceasing to be Recorder of London.

In 2001 he was appointed as a Recorder of the Crown Court and in 2003 became a Master of the Bench at the Middle Temple.

Hilliard acknowledged the police could not be relied upon to ensure access to documents that the defence might require and the prosecution was fatally undermined as a result and Rees was discharged.

[9] Sir Nicholas has been a contributing editor to Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice since 1994.