Mr. Watkins has a broad range of experience in all phases of complex commercial litigation, from pre-suit investigation and discovery management to dispositive motion and trial practice all the way up to appeals. In recent years, Mr. Watkins has represented clients at multi-week bench and jury trials in both state and federal court in disputes ranging from commercial sales and online taxation to director and officer liability. He generally represents businesses and individuals in litigation and arbitration relating to contract and franchise disputes, real estate and construction disputes, the Uniform Commercial Code, complex class actions, trade secrets, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, pharmaceutical patents, administrative law, and post-closing, shareholder, and fiduciary liability matters.

In addition to his trial and dispute resolution experience, Mr. Watkins has conducted internal corporate investigations and advised clients facing investigations before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other governmental bodies.

Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Watkins was an Associate in the Chicago office of McDermott Will & Emery LLP in both the Trial and White-Collar & Securities Defense Groups. While in law school, he served as a judicial extern to Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Mr. Watkins also maintains an active pro bono practice and, in 2017, received an Award for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association in connection with his representation of a Stateville inmate in a federal civil rights case.

Mr. Watkins earned his B.A. from Northwestern University, and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, cum laude, where he was an Executive Articles Editor for the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.