Entertainment Law Chair
Bernie Lawrence-Watkins is a seasoned transactional attorney and principal in the law firm of B. Lawrence Watkins & Associates, PC, concentrating in the areas of Entertainment, Digital Media, Licensing, Copyright, Trademark, Business Transactions, and Corporate Formations. Her clients include Grammy® Award winning music producers and songwriters who reportedly have over 10 million units in sales, artists, music industry executives, independent record labels, managers, music and film /television production companies, screenplay writers, and clothing designers. She has a plethora of experience drafting and negotiating contracts ranging from licensing, employment, corporate transactions, to product endorsement agreements on behalf of corporate and entertainment clients. Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins’ sharp negotiating skills have earned her clients over millions of dollars in royalty income and advances. She periodically appears as a guest lecturer and panelist at colleges, law schools and conferences across the country.
Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins began her legal career as a paralegal in 1996 at the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton LLP formerly known as Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP, and later worked as a contract attorney in the litigation department. In 1999, she left the large firm environment to work for the City of Atlanta as the Legal Specialist for the Office of Contract Compliance, while maintaining her legal practice on the side. In late 2002, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins left the City of Atlanta to open her own law firm full time. She served as a federal lobbyist for a period of 8 years representing the City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, while building a niche law practice representing platinum-selling music producers and songwriters. Over the years some of her clients composed and produced music for top charting recording artists such as 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin Sean “Puffy” Combs, T.I., Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Usher, and Justin Bieber. She also represents record executives at some of the top record companies in the entertainment industry.
Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins is a community activist. In 2007 she co-founded Gather For Good, an annual networking and fundraising event seeking to raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. From 2009 to 2013, she served as a volunteer lecturer for Literacy Action, a United Way Organization, and taught grooming and interviewing techniques to adults seeking to re-enter the workforce. In 2012, she became a STEM community partner/volunteer to TAG-Ed. In 2015, her firm partnered with the John Marshall School of Law, and currently provides externship opportunities to law students seeking to learn about the practice of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law.
In 2007, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins received the Metro Atlanta Community Champion Award from MADD and was honored by Rolling Out Magazine as one of Atlanta’s 25 Most Influential Women. In 2009, the Supreme Court of Georgia appointed her as a Mentor in the Transition into Law Practice Program to assist newly admitted lawyers to the State Bar of Georgia, and she currently participates as a mentor. During that same year, she also received The Token of Appreciation Award from Music in the Metro, a non-profit organization located in Des Moines, Iowa for bringing youth and the music industry together. In 2012, she was presented the Entertainment Lawyer of the Year Award by Women of Wealth Magazine and was honored by ASCAP as one of The Women Behind the Music. In 2014, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins received the Chairman’s Award from the Entertainment, Sports & Art Law Section of the National Bar Association. In 2015, she was honored with an Icon Award by Writing Sessions America – Atlanta, and Rolling Out Magazine honored her as one of the Top 25 Women of Atlanta for the second time. In August 2017, she was featured in Attorney at Law Magazine as one of the attorneys to watch.
Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins’ past and present Board affiliations include the United Way-African American Partnership, One Economy Corporation (Advisory Board), Smyrna Basketball Association, Inc. (Co-Founder, Treasurer), Jack and Jill of America-Atlanta Chapter (Parliamentarian, Legislative Chair), The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) – General Counsel, Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA), and the Black Entertainment Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA) – Secretary, Vice President, Chair of Sponsorship and Board Development). During the years of 2007 to 2011, Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins also served as a local advisory board member to Branch, Banking and Trust (BB&T). Throughout the years, she has served as a member of various organizations, including, but not limited to Atlanta Business League, the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences, Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA), the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (Member at Large, Chair of the Entertainment Law Section), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Federal Bar Association.
Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins received her Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore, School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Georgia in all lower courts and state and superior courts, the United Stated District Court Northern District of Georgia, Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of Georgia. Mrs. Lawrence-Watkins is married with two sons.
