Daniel Watkins is one of the nation’s leading defamation and reputation lawyers, trusted by prominent individuals, founders, family offices, and corporations in their most sensitive, high-stakes matters. His practice spans two spheres: an elite trial practice that has delivered some of the largest defamation verdicts in U.S. history, and a discreet advisory practice for clients navigating reputational threats behind the scenes.

Daniel is one of only six attorneys nationwide ranked by Chambers & Partners for First Amendment Litigation (Mainly Plaintiff) and High Net Worth: Defamation / Reputation Management—and is the youngest lawyer ever to earn this distinction.

He serves as lead trial counsel in Chandler v. Berlin, securing an $8,000,001 jury verdict—reported as the largest individual jury award in Washington, D.C. last year. His other courtroom victories include representing Dominion Voting Systems in its landmark $787.5 million election disinformation settlement with Fox News, and co-leading the trial team that obtained a $16 million defamation verdict in North Carolina. 

He currently represents Mindbloom (a national leader in telehealth-based mental health treatment) in defamation litigation against The Wall Street Journal. He also obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against McDonald’s Corp. in a false advertising and trade secrets case on behalf of a technology start-up.

In parallel to his trial practice, Daniel advises a select group of clients on managing reputational risk in complex and often fast-moving crises. His advocacy has secured retractions, corrections, and public apologies from major media organizations including The Washington Post, Bloomberg News, ESPN, and Newsweek. He has also provided strategic counsel in connection with NBA investigations and represented clients in matters at the center of NFL investigations, bringing discretion and trusted judgment to reputational crises in professional sports.

A frequent speaker on First Amendment and defamation issues, Daniel recently taught “Disinformation and Defamation” as an adjunct professor at William & Mary Law School and has lectured at Georgetown and the University of Virginia School of Law.