Daniel K. Watkins, Partner

dwatkins@peckBAXTER.com

 

After growing up around a family business, Daniel K. Watkins has chosen to focus his legal practice around the legal issues the impact every business and business owner.  This includes estate planning, real estate, corporate law, and general contract law.  By focusing on those issues, Mr. Watkins is able to work closely with his clients while helping them navigate their legal issues.

With estate planning, it is Mr. Watkins’ philosophy that a good estate plan will try to make the administrative side of a death as simple as possible.  Mr. Watkins has worked with clients on a wide variety of estate planning needs, from the simple to complex.   One of Mr. Watkins’ favorite aspects of estate planning is being able to spend time with his clients and work though whatever issues they may be facing, whether it be the need for a special needs trust or the need to include specific provisions explaining how assets are to be distributed. 

Mr. Watkins’ real estate practice has included representing borrowers in the review and finalization of a wide variety of transactions for temporary financing and permanent financing for a wide variety of projects, including multi-family residential, shopping centers, and office buildings.   In addition to working with his clients who are looking to obtain financing, Mr. Watkins also works on a wide variety of other real estate issues, including assisting the seller-financed transactions and the drafting of easement agreements.  Mr. Watkins has also represented secured creditors in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy proceedings.

While working with business owners, Mr. Watkins has been able to provide legal services relating to a wide variety of business transactions, from the drafting of various agreements, to assisting business transitions, including business sales, assets sales, mergers, and the sale of a business to an employee stock ownership plan.  In connection with estate planning, Mr. Watkins works with business owners on business succession planning and finding a way to transition business ownership from one generation to the next.

Representative Transactions

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Pro Bono Activities

Cache County Thursday Night Bar
Utah State Bar, Wills for Heroes Program

Community Service

Cache Valley Center for the Arts, past president and member of the Board of Trustees

Sunshine Terrace, member of the Board of Trustees

Speaking Engagements

Adjunct Professor, Utah State University (2015-Present)

Frequent Presenter on Business Topics and Estate Planning

Bar Admissions

  • Virginia (2004)

  • Utah (2005)

Areas of Practice

  • Estate Planning & Probate

  • Business & Corporate

  • Real Estate

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Utah State Bar

  • Estate Planning of Council of Northern Utah (President, 2014-15)

  • Cache County Bar Association

Education

  • Juris Doctor, Washington and Lee University School of Law, 2004

  • MAcc (Accounting), Utah State University, 2000

    • Federation of Schools of Accountancy Student Achievement Award

  • BA, Accounting, Utah State University, 2000