Lessons Learned and a Foundation Set

It is impossible for Robert Watts to count all the teachers, classmates and staff members at Westminster Schools of Augusta who had a positive impact on his life.

 “If I started making a list, the number of names on it would be incredible,” said Watts, of the Class of 2004. “The Westminster community as a whole is a great friend to Robert Watts.”

Watts said he is very thankful for the Christ-centered education that he received at Westminster and what it did to prepare him to be successful in graduate school, raising a family and serving as a leader in the community.

In 2019, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Watts to serve on the state Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. The commission advises and educates the public on all aspects of the state’s campaign finance law, including the proper ways to collect and expend contributions and complete required disclosure paperwork. It was formerly known as the State Ethics Commission.

Also, in 2019, the University of Georgia Alumni Association named Watts as one of its top 40 graduates under the age of 40. The honor, which is more commonly referred to as UGA’s Alumni Association’s top 40 graduates under the age of 40.

Watts, who started at Westminster as a kindergartner, is an attorney at the international law firm of Jones Day in Atlanta. He focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts. His practice also includes shareholder and securities litigation following mergers or acquisitions, governmental investigations, and internal corporate investigations involving fraud.

Watts also has an active pro bono practice, including matters from the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, where he has represented survivors of family violence seeking temporary protective orders.

He credits Westminster for helping guide him to success.

“The foundation it gave me is really second to none,” Watts said. “At Westminster, you are taught how to critically think through the process of identifying problems and finding creative and effective solutions.”

After Westminster, Watts graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2014, he graduated with honors from the Georgia State University College of Law.

Prior to attending law school, Watts served as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is active in communities across the state, where he serves on alumni association boards at Westminster and the University of Georgia, as well as the Georgia State University Law Alumni Council.

Watts lives in Atlanta with his wife, Meg, and their daughter, Millie.