Elijah Watkins
PEOPLE

Elijah Watkins

Partner
watkins.elijah@dorsey.com

Overview

Elijah is a trial attorney, handling complex business disputes for his clients in both state and federal courts throughout the country.
Elijah is a partner in the Boise office. He's won favorable jury verdicts for his clients in state and federal courts, argued numerous appeals, litigated in front of administrative bodies, and has consistently prevailed in arbitrations and mediations in multiple jurisdictions. He serves various industries — from healthcare and manufacturing, to technology, construction, and financial services — all while providing effective and efficient representation.

Education & Admissions

University of Illinois College of Law (J.D., 2009), magna cum laude

Brigham Young University - Idaho (B.S., Organizational Communications, 2006), Student Body President

Admissions

  • Idaho
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Experience

  • Successfully represent various medical device manufacturers against multiple individuals claiming harm from implanted medical devices.
  • Successfully represent respirator manufacturer against multiple individuals claiming harm from the use of respirators. 
  • Successfully represent international rollercoaster manufacturer against claims from multiple riders of defective design and failure to warn.  
  • Successfully represent industrial freezer manufacturer in negligent design case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals with fees awarded. 
  • Secured favorable jury verdict on behalf of golf course based on Lanham Act, unfair competition, and cybersquatting claims.
  • Secured favorable jury verdict on behalf of steel building manufacturer involving warranty claims. 
  • Successfully represent SaaS company in multiple courts involving director and officer liability, fraud, and copyright infringement. 
  • Successfully represent class members as court-appointed counsel during years-long judicial oversight of state run facility accused of multiple civil rights violations.   
  • Successfully represent mine in administrative hearing against multiple claims from junior water rights holders.
  • Successfully represent fire safety inspection company in reps and warranties action following business acquisition. 
  • Successfully represent steel manufacturer in arbitration involving defective design and breach of warranty claims. 
  • Successfully represent consulting firm in multiple matters arising from various executive financial services.
  • Successfully represent medical consulting firm in multiple matters arising from the management and operation of various medical offices.  
  • Represented trucking company in indemnification action arising from damages sustained by an ultrasonic microscope allegedly while in transit. Case dismissed with prejudice.

*Certain representations occurred prior to joining Dorsey

 

News & Resources

News & Press Mentions

Commercial Litigation Partner Elijah Watkins Joins Dorsey in Boise
  • Presenter, “Recreation & Risk — Lessons from Action Park and Elsewhere,” Perrin Conferences webinar, January 11, 2022
  • Co-author, “Impeachment, Diverse Trial Teams, and Overcoming White Noise,” The National Law Journal, April 30, 2021
  • DRI Product Liability: Warnings, Instructions, and Recalls: Idaho co-author, 2019
  • Presenter, “Confidentiality Issues With Technology,” National Business Institute, Boise, ID, October 16, 2017
  • Presenter, “We’ve Been Hacked! What Should We Have Done? What Should We Do?,” Zasio 2015 Information Governance Road Show, Boise, ID, August 27, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, September 16, 2015; Portland, OR, November 11, 2015; Seattle, WA, November 12, 2015
  • Panelist, “How Not to Get Sued: IP, Products Liability, and Picking the Right Business Formation,” StartupTV, Boise, ID, April 2014
  • Moderator, “From Garage to Warehouse,” Kickstand, Boise, ID, June 2013
  • “Enter the ‘B’ Corp.,” Idaho Business Review, December 2012

Industries & Practices

  • Banking & Financial Institutions
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Electronic Discovery
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Healthcare Litigation
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Medical Devices
  • Products Liability
  • Technology
  • Technology Commerce

Professional & Civic

Professional Achievements

  • Committee Member, Local Rules Committee, District of Idaho, 2021-present
  • Board Member, Federal Defenders of Idaho, 2019-2020
  • Board Member, J. Reuben Clark Law Society, 2012-present
  • Member, Idaho Working Group on State Prisoner Litigation, 2015-2018
  • Member, DRI, 2014-present
  • Guest Lecturer, Advanced Torts: Recreation & Risk, Mitchell Hamlin School of Law, 2018-present

Accolades

  • Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Litigation: General Commercial, 2018-2023
  • Recipient of Leaders in Law Award, Idaho Business Review, 2023
  • Presenter at US District Court of Idaho Bench Bar Conference, 2023
  • Presenter and Judge at Idaho Trial Skills Academy, 2023 
  • Recipient of Fourth District Denise O’Donnell Day Pro Bono Award, 2020 
  • Recipient of Accomplished Under 40 Award, Idaho Business Review, 2015
  • Contributed more than 50 hours pro bono services, multiple years 
Elijah Watkins