About Len
Len Watkins combines a varied educational background with decades on the bench and in practice. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1976, a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1984, and later returned to school for an MBA in Finance from UC Davis in 2008. The sequence of degrees tells a story of changing interests and added financial expertise.
After law school, Watkins established a presence in California legal circles. He has been a member of the state bar since 1987 and holds admission to practice before the Ninth Circuit. Over the years he has joined professional groups that reflect his practice areas, including membership in the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyers beginning in 2009 and longstanding ties to the Contra Costa County Bar Association. He is also a member of the California Association of Realtors, a sign of active engagement with real estate issues.
Watkins’ resume indicates cross-cutting experience that bridges consumer bankruptcy and real estate matters, with added financial training from his MBA. The bankruptcy association membership signals regular involvement in consumer insolvency cases. The real estate association membership suggests he handles transactions or disputes tied to property ownership, financing or broker concerns. Admission to the Ninth Circuit expands his practice beyond state trial work, allowing him to handle appeals that arise from litigation in federal courts within the circuit.
His practice is based at Genser & Watkins LLP. That firm affiliation places him in the East Bay, where he maintains offices in Point Richmond, Emeryville and Oakland. Colleagues and clients in the region would expect a mix of courtroom work, client counseling and negotiation tied to consumer financial distress, mortgage and real estate issues, and related contested matters. He has balanced continuing legal involvement with an interest in finance, as shown by his MBA earned later in his career.
Outside of casework, Watkins’ steady membership in professional organizations since the 1980s shows a pattern of sustained participation in the legal community. The combination of a nautical undergraduate degree, a law degree, and a finance MBA gives him a range of perspectives when dealing with complex creditor-debtor situations or property disputes. He currently practices at Genser & Watkins LLP and handles matters in California and the Ninth Circuit, with work conducted from offices in Point Richmond, Emeryville and Oakland.
