Timothy J. Watson
Senior Litigation Partner
My Family
A Little Bit About Me
The most fortunate people in the world are those who get to do what they love for a living. Mr. Watson is one of those people. He loves practicing law and helping clients in difficult, complex cases. He has spent his entire adult life as an Arizona lawyer.
Tim is an established trial lawyer. For over 20 years, he has represented high net worth individuals and businesses of all kinds, from small family-owned businesses to large insurers, Fortune 500 companies and the State of Arizona. He has tried numerous high profile jury trials in state and federal courts involving multi-million-dollar claims. Tim holds a Martindale Hubbell rating of AV-Preeminent with a designation for high ethical standing. He is admitted to practice in Arizona Courts, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
As a former Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arizona, Tim defended the State and various government officials in numerous large, complex and high-profile cases involving claims against State agencies. He served as lead trial counsel in several of the State’s largest, high value cases in both state and federal courts. Tim also served as lead trial counsel in some of Arizona’s largest consumer fraud cases.
Tim gives back to the profession he loves by serving our community as a past Maricopa County Judge Pro Tem, State Bar Fee Arbitration Committee member, Chair of the State Bar Trial Practice Section and Board member of the Arizona College of Trial Advocacy. His passion for the practice of law speaks for itself.
When not at work, Tim is blessed by his wife and three children. His two boys are cadets in the Civil Air Patrol and love sports. His daughter is a drama enthusiast. As a family, they enjoy spending time together swimming, biking, and taking trips to the desert.
My Contact Information
Personal Notes
Panel Speaker, Civility and Trial Advocacy, State Bar of Arizona, October, 2013
Author, The Long Arm of the Law: Lis Pendens on Arizona Property by Out-of-State Litigants, Real Estate Section Newsletter, State Bar of Arizona, Spring 2006
Co-author, Who is Picking Up the Tab? Indemnity Law in Arizona, e-Common Defense, Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, June 2004
Panel Speaker, Anatomy of a trial: the Rosenberg Spy Case, trial skills program, State Bar of Arizona, October, 2022
Christian Legal Society, Phoenix Chapter (past president)
Arizona Special Olympics (member volunteer)
Christian Legal Aid
Gilbert Christian Schools (past board member)
- State Bar of Arizona (past Chair, Trial Practice Section)
- State Bar of Arizona (past member, Fee Arbitration Committee)
- Board Member and Faculty, Arizona College of Trial Advocacy
- Maricopa County Bar Association
- Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
- Christian Legal Society
- AV Preeminent Rating in Martindale-Hubbell peer review which connotes the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
- Practice focused on complex business and real estate litigation.
- Past Chair – Arizona State Bar Trial Practice Section
- Board member and faculty – Arizona College of Trial Advocacy.
- Trial experience as lead counsel includes one of the largest consumer fraud judgments in Arizona history and successful defense of the State of Arizona in federal civil rights cases.
Keates v. Koile, et al., 20-16015 (9th Cir. 2021)
Chatman v. Ferrell et al., 17-CV-03826
Valencia v. BP Capital Ventures, LLC, et al., 1 CA-CV 14-0330 (Ariz. App., Div. 1, 2015)
Estate of J. Scott Gardner, Deceased v. Richardson, 230 Ariz. App. 329 (2012)
W.H. Graham, et al. v. Pinal County, et al., 138 Fed.Appx. 47 (9th Cir. 2005) (No. 03-15784).
Richard Mack, et al. v. County of Graham, et al., 23 Fed.Appx. 808 (9th Cir. 2001) (No. 00-15593).
TWE Retirement v. Ream, 198 Ariz. App. 268 (2000).
Mediator / Arbitrator
Mr. Watson has successfully mediated disputes for parties in complex “bet the farm” litigation and also serves as an arbitrator.
United States Supreme Court
State Bar of Arizona
U.S. District Court – District of Arizona
U.S. Court of Appeals – Ninth Circuit