Joe Watkins was born in Atlanta on November 14, 1952. Growing up in College Park, Ga., Joe attended Fulton County public schools and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia in 1974. Joe then attended and graduated with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1977, where he was a member of Order of the Coif.

Joe practiced with an Atlanta defense firm first as an associate and then as a partner from 1977 until 1997, when he, Lance Lourie, and Rob Roll left that firm to form Watkins, Lourie & Roll, LLP, where they could concentrate their practice on representing those who are injured and damaged by others. Joe has served as Parliamentarian and Legislative Co-Chair of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, and as its President-Elect for 2006-07. Additionally, Joe is a former Chairman of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and has been a speaker at many continuing legal education programs.