From 1996 to 2011, she was a criminal defense attorney at the law firm Walker, Warren and Watkins, where she rose to partner. She is a graduate of Oregon State University and Lewis and Clark Law School. She is a board member of the Multnomah County Bar Association, a member of the Oregon State Bar's Region 5 Disciplinary Board, and a volunteer mediator in the Fee Dispute Resolution Program. Ms. Watkins will be the only person of color actively serving on the Clackamas County bench and the third African American woman judge ever to serve on the state court bench.