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Wednesday, July 09, 2003
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 My friend, Maggie Watkins was today named president of the Meritas lawyer network! Meritas is a worldwide alliance of 165 law firms with more than 4,900 lawyers. She'll be leaving Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps in San Diego, where she has done award-winning work, and starts with Meritas on August 11. Here's the official press release:
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bobbi Rix at brix@meritas.org; (612) 339-8680
Maggie T. Watkins Named as New President of International Group of Law Firms
(MINNEAPOLIS, July 9, 2003) -- Meritas, a closely aligned group of more than 165 full-service law firms located in 50+ countries, has named Maggie T. Watkins as president.
With more than 4,900 attorneys, Meritas provides business clients with worldwide access to comprehensive, cost-effective, high quality legal services. Clients of Meritas member firms range from small start-up companies and family-owned enterprises to multinational corporations. Headquarters staff for Meritas is located in Minneapolis, Minn., and Athens, Greece.
Watkins, 47, will assume her duties as president effective August 11. Most recently, she has been director of marketing for a national law firm based in San Diego, Calif. She also previously served in marketing and sales positions for accounting firms including Ernst & Young, as well as for several financial services companies. In addition, she has served as chair and vice chair of the National Legal Marketing Association (LMA) and is chair of the association's 2004 annual conference. She also served as chair of The National Association of Accounting Marketing (AAM).
"Maggie has a deep understanding of the forces that are reshaping the practice of law -- from client consolidation and globalization, to the evolution of technology -- and the opportunities that this provides for Meritas," said George Cadman, Meritas Board chair and director of Boughton, a law firm in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. "Her strong legal and accounting industry background, her international perspective, along with her demonstrated organizational, management and leadership skills, and concentrated focus on exemplary client service, are a perfect fit for Meritas."
In addition to providing a full range of high quality, cost effective legal services, Meritas offers business clients a variety of services not available through any of the multinational law firms. That includes an extensive searchable online database of almost 1,500 attorneys in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Latin America, providing details on industry expertise and legal practice area background; and access to 10,000 written evaluation records on member firms detailing their performance on specific client matters.
"Meritas is unique not only in terms of coverage but in the quality of firms represented," said Watkins. "At a time when companies need to be nimble and focused, Meritas provides a multijurisdictional solution that is coordinated, cost effective and dependable. Meritas is strongly positioned and I look forward to helping the organization aggressively capitalize on its unique offering for clients and member firms."
Watkins has a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her community efforts have included serving on numerous boards in California, including Girl Scouts, the American Heart Association, YMCA, Vista Hill Foundation and LEAD San Diego, Inc. She is currently chair of the East County Performing Arts Center in El Cajon, Calif. Watkins is married to Bob Watkins and resides in Alpine, Calif., just outside of San Diego.
Meritas was established in 1990 and is a non-profit organization. Membership in Meritas is by invitation only. Meritas' satisfaction assurance program includes intensive screening of firms before they are invited to join, and quality feedback from peers and clients required in order to retain membership. Every firm must re-earn membership by proving they adhere to Meritas? high quality standards. For more information on Meritas, visit www.meritas.org.
4:32:31 PM 
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© Copyright 2004 Larry Bodine.
Last update: 4/10/2004; 2:31:54 PM.
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