John L. Watkins

Shareholder

Publications & Presentations

John L. Watkins is a business litigation and business attorney. John’s litigation practice currently focuses on complex litigation matters involving trade secrets and unfair competition (including cases involving confidential information, trade dress, false advertising, and computer-related claims), liability insurance coverage disputes (including insurance bad faith), corporate and LLC disputes (including shareholder and member disputes), product liability, and commercial contracts.

John practices in the state and federal courts in Georgia, and has also handled specific matters in many other states, including New York, California, and Florida. John also has considerable experience in arbitration, mediation and alternative dispute resolution, and is a registered mediator.

John also works on various business matters, including drafting, negotiating and reviewing supply contracts, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements (“NDAs”), terms and conditions, and dispute resolution provisions. In handling business matters, John uses his experience to help clients minimize litigation risk.

John represents clients in many industries, but has particular experience in manufacturing and distribution, machinery and equipment, insurance, engineered wood products, pulp and paper, natural gas distribution, industrial construction, and mining.

In addition to domestic companies, John represents many international companies (or their U.S. subsidiaries), including German, Finnish, Swedish, Irish and Canadian companies. John represents the firm in the German American Chamber of Commerce, the British American Business Group, and is active in the international business community. John has been a featured speaker at seminars in Munich sponsored by the Munich and Upper Bavaria IHK (International Chamber of Commerce), and has also given seminars on product liability, risk management, trade secrets, and non-disclosure agreements sponsored by the German American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta.

John was named one of Georgia's top attorneys in business litigation in Georgia Super Lawyers in 2008 and 2009, published by Law and Politics, and Atlanta Magazine. John has been rated "AV" by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, its highest rating, for many years. John is rated 10.0 by AVVO.com, its highest rating.

Prior to joining the firm, John was a partner of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, a large international firm, where he practiced for over twenty years. Prior to McKenna Long, John practiced at Hansell & Post, which is now the Atlanta office of Jones, Day.

John graduated first in his class at the University of Georgia School of Law in 1982, where he received an academic scholarship, was a member of the Georgia Law Review Editorial Board, and received numerous academic awards, including the Order of the Coif. While in law school, John also worked as a teaching assistant and research assistant in the School of Business. John received his undergraduate degree from Mercer University, where he was on the debate team and received a first round bid to the National Debate Tournament.

Practice Areas

Education

University of Georgia, J.D., summa cum laude (1982)
Mercer University, B.A. (1979)

Bar and Court Admissions

Georgia
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Professional Affiliations

Bleckley Inn of Court (Master)
Atlanta Bar Association (Board of Directors, Construction Section)
Lawyers Club of Atlanta
Lumpkin Society, University of Georgia School of Law