Brad Watkins is a longtime partner with the Firm and focuses his practice primarily on civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Brad is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell which “is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.”
Brad represents numerous national insurance clients in third-party claims and direct actions. He also provides representation for various governmental entities, including Glynn County and the City of Brunswick, as well as many other counties and cities in Georgia. In addition, Brad counsels local businesses and physician practice groups.
Brad also has extensive experience with professional and medical negligence cases. Brad has secured millions of dollars in settlements and judgments in medical negligence and wrongful death cases. He has also secured substantial recoveries against hospitals under EMTALA.
Brad has relied on his 27 years of legal experience to provide mediation services throughout the state. Brad is registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution and is recognized as one of the preeminent mediators in South Georgia. Please visit www.coastalmediationgroup.com for more information about Brad’s mediation practice.
Brad is licensed to practice in all Georgia courts, including the Georgia Supreme Court and Georgia Court of Appeals, as well as numerous federal courts, including the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and district courts within the Eleventh Circuit. He has argued extensively in various appellate courts, with over 70 published opinions.
Brad graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is a cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law. Brad is the past President of the Brunswick and Glynn County Bar Association and is a member of the American Bar Association. Brad is active in various organizations and has served on the Board of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, Triumph Foundation, and the local soccer association.
Brad is married to Anne Meade Watkins and has two children, Clay and Ellie.
Representative Matters
Medical Negligence Cases: Brad has significant experience representing injured parties in professional malpractice cases, including cases involving brain surgery, obstetrics, vascular surgery, EMTALA, long-term-care facilities, orthopedic surgery, neurological procedures, and infectious disease transmission. Brad has obtained recoveries of tens of millions of dollars for his clients in these types of cases.
Constitutional Law and Civil Rights Defense: Brad has extensive experience defending Section 1983 cases for the state and its political subdivisions in federal court. Brad has successfully obtained summary judgment and favorable results in numerous civil rights cases alleging excessive force, false arrest, malicious prosecution, First Amendment retaliation, deliberate indifference to medical needs, and false imprisonment. Brad has represented numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments, sheriffs, police chiefs, and law enforcement officials throughout the state.
Class Action Litigation: Brad has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in class action litigation. By way of example, Brad served as counsel for the plaintiffs in the successful Spartan Race “Insurance Fee” class action brought on behalf of over 800,000 consumers in the Southern District of Florida. Brad has also defended class action suits, including class action suits against local governments involving tax, fees, and assessment issues.
Whistleblower and Employment Law: Brad has defended countless EEOC and Title VII matters at all stages of the litigation process. Brad has also contested numerous whistleblower complaints involving various federal agencies like OSHA and the FAA.
Multi-District Litigation: Brad has assisted with the representation of parties in multi-district litigation, including claims related to the National Prescription Opiate Litigation, Roundup Products Liability Litigation, and Incretin-Based Therapies Products Liability Litigation.
Clean Water Act: Brad has experience defending Clean Water Act claims in federal court and has successfully obtained dismissal of claims asserting violations of 33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a),1344, 1365(a), and 1365(f).
Oil Pollution Act: Brad has successfully litigated claims under the Oil Pollution Act against the international owner, operator, and manager of a shipping vessel related to a major shipwreck and resulting oil spill.
Election Law: Brad has represented local governments in various election law matters and challenges. For instance, Brad successfully represented Glynn County, Georgia in a suit against the State of Georgia and various state-election officials which resulted in a declaration that certain senate bills that sought to abolish the Glynn County Police Department and transfer its functions and assets to the Glynn County Sheriff’s Department were unconstitutional.
Governmental Liability: Brad represents various cities and counties (and their officials) throughout Georgia. Brad has numerous appellate decisions affirming dismissals of lawsuits challenging governmental decisions and actions, including those involving zoning issues, beach renourishment, ordinance enforcement, and development decisions.
