Mr. Watkins is the President and CEO of the Watkins Partners® companies, consisting of Watkins Strategy and Resource Group LLC, Watkins Development LLC. Farish Street Group, Retro Metro, LL and various other entities. In addition to a distinguished legal career, Mr. Watkins has also enjoyed some success as an entrepreneur.  He is one of the key figures and is a principal in the investment team that has lead to the successful financing, redevelopment and reconstruction of the the $89 million restoration of the historic King Edward Hotel which opened in December, 2009.

After over three decades of law practice, Mr. Watkins retired from the practice of law.  He was a founder and principal of Watkins & Young, PLLC, and was the Partner-in-Charge of the Jackson Office of Adams and Reese, LLP, a regional law firm.  Prior to that, Mr. Watkins practiced law with Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes for 23 years.  He was the founder and leader of a significant education law practice for thirty years.

He earned a B.A. degree in Economics from Millsaps College, attended Emory University School of Law and the University of Mississippi School of Law, receiving a Juris Doctorate in 1974. At law school, he was on the Editorial Board of the Mississippi Law Journal. He has also received further studies from the Harvard University School of Education.

Over the years, Mr. Watkins' experience spanned a wide range of areas related to education law, including public and legislative policy, intellectual property and technology issues, litigation, administrative law, public finance and planning, appellate advocacy, and employment law.

Mr. Watkins has had a distinguished career in the organized bar, having held numerous leadership positions in various bar associations. He has served two terms in the American Bar Association House of Delegates; Chairman of the Young Lawyers Division; a member of the ABA’s law school accreditation unit (Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar). He served as Chairman of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar Association, and was a member of the Board of Bar Commissioners. He is a member of the Fellows of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Mr. Watkins was active in education reform advocacy for many years, having worked on most major education initiatives since the 1970's, the historic Education Reform Act of 1982, the Uniform Schools Law of 1986, the Equity Funding Law of 1989, and the MAEP in 1997. He served as chairman of a task force in 1988 that resulted in the formation of the Pubic Education Forum of Mississippi in 1989, serving as one of the founding directors and on the Executive Committee since its beginning.

Over the years, Mr. Watkins has also participated in numerous church, public and community interest capacities, including service as a member of the Board of the Greater Jackson Arts Council, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Association, Leadership Jackson, and the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Systems (formerly CDPA) from 1988-1993.

Mr. Watkins is quick to point out, however, that his proudest accomplishments are his family members.  Married to a retired political and events planning consultant, Susan Boyte of Natchez, they have two sons, David, Jr. (Los Angeles) and Jason (Jackson).  Mr. Watkins is quick to point out though that the world of grandfathering is now his first priority. His "holy grandchildren," Web (7) and Douglas (5) are also residents of Jackson, along with his step-grandsons, Hudson (7) and Jackson (7).