Most business owners and executives know they should have a regular business attorney, but know little about how to find a good one. How can you tell whether that lawyer your neighbor recommended or that lawyer you met at a cocktail party is really any good? Drawing on over twenty-five years of experience in large and small firms and from working with lawyers across the country and internationally, author John L. Watkins demystifies the process. He shatters the myth that lawyers are all the same. John then provides an easy to understand, step-by-step guide for locating, researching, evaluating and interviewing business attorneys. He explains how law firms work and key questions to ask in the process. He also covers the often touchy subject of legal fees, including alternative fee arrangements. Finally, John provides key tips on how to work effectively with your business attorney, so that the attorney may serve as a trusted adviser for many years to come. This book is an indispensable guide for any business owner or executive considering hiring counsel.
About the Author: John L. Watkins is a business litigation and business attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. John is currently a partner with Barnes & Thornburg LLP, an AmLaw 100 firm with offices in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C. and other cities. John has over 25 years of experience in representing large, medium-sized and small businesses in commercial litigation as well as general business matters. John's litigation practice currently concentrates on trade secret and insurance coverage matters, as well as other commercial disputes. John also assists clients in negotiating and drafting sales contracts, non-disclosure agreements, terms and conditions, and other business documents. Many of John's clients are international companies or their U.S. subsidiaries. John has been named to the list of Georgia Super Lawyers in Business Litigation for several years. In 2010, John was one of the top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers based on the review and evaluation process. John is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, its highest rating. He is rated 10.0 by AVVO, a website that ranks attorneys, its highest rating. John graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law. John graduated first in his class, was a member of the Georgia Law Review, received many academic awards, and received an academic scholarship.