Born and raised in England, Nic Watkins has nearly 25 years of experience in his practice areas of Immigration and Nationality law and Real Estate law.

EXPERIENCE:

Nicolas's Immigration Law practice focuses on nonimmigrant (temporary) and immigrant (permanent/residency) visa petitions and applications on behalf of investors, executives, managerial and other skilled foreign workers and their employers. This includes E, H, L, O and P temporary worker visas amongst others as well as applications for temporary and permanent employment certification. Nic also represents employers in connection with immigration-related regulatory compliance proceedings in the employment setting as well as individuals in naturalization proceedings and consular matters. Nic heads up GrayRobinson's Business Immigration Law practice group.

Nic's real property law practice is both broad and varied: He represents individual and institutional clients alike and has extensive experience in commercial and residential transactions, from acquisition through financing, development, and disposition, including purchases, sales, leases, condominiums, title examination and title insurance matters, and construction and permanent lending. He also has experience with refinancings, loan renegotiations, workouts and foreclosures, as well as construction law matters, including design and construction contract drafting and negotiation.

BACKGROUND:

Prior to joining GrayRobinson, P.A. in April 2008, Nic was a partner in Howe, Robinson & Watkins, LLP, a firm that he helped form in 1996. Before that, Nic was with Steel Hector & Davis, LLP where he was a partner in that firm's Real Estate Department and also Chairman of the firm's Business Immigration Law practice group. Before joining Steel Hector & Davis, LLP, Nic practiced law at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in Cleveland, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, in Immigration Law, Litigation and Business Law areas.

Nic received his LL.B. (Hons.) degree from Brunel University, Uxbridge, England, in 1981 and his J.D. degree from Florida State University College of Law in 1983. While at Florida State, he served as an editor of the Law Review and as Chairman of the Moot Court Editorial Board.

AREAS OF PRACTICE:

• Immigration
• Real Estate

EXPERIENCE:

• GrayRobinson, P.A.
  • Shareholder, 2008-Present
• Howe, Robinson & Watkins, LLP
  • Partner, 1996-2008
• Steel Hector & Davis, LLP
  • Partner, 1992-1996
  • Associate, 1987-1991
• Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP
  • Associate, 1984-1987

ADMISSIONS:

• The Florida Bar
• Federal District Court, Middle District of Florida

PROFESSIONAL:

• American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member, 1984-Present
• American Immigration Lawyers Association, South Florida Chapter, Member, Board of Directors, 1989-1990
• Florida Bar Grievance Committee, Member, 1993-1996
• Florida Bar Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Member, 1999-2002
• Florida Bar Real Property Law Section, Member, 1987-Present
• Society for Human Resource Management, Member, 2008-Present

CIVIC ACTIVITIES:

• British American Chamber of Commerce of Miami, Secretary, 2009-Present; Chairman, 2004-2005; President, 2002-2004; Treasurer, 2000-2002; Member, Board of Directors, 1994-Present

HONORS:

• Honorary Legal Advisor to Her Britannic Majesty's Consul (now Consul-General), Miami, 1995-Present
• "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2010
• Florida Trend Magazine "Legal Elite," 2008

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

• "Withholding Tax on U.S. Real Estate Sales: New Rules - What's a Foreign Seller to do?" Florida World, 1st Qtr. 2004
• "E-2 Visa to Residency? Possible if You Plan Ahead," Florida World, 3rd Qtr. 2002.
• "Cual Visa Escoger Para Su Empleado Extranjero?" El Venezolano, Vol. 2, No. 24, October 23, 1993
• "The wide, wide world of B, E, L and H visas," South Florida Business Journal, Vol. 14, No. 6. October 1993
• "Choosing right visa for employees is tough," South Florida Business Journal, Vol. 14, No. 5. September 1993
• Co-Author, "Employer Sanctions Update and the Employer's Response," The Florida Bar Journal, at 60, May 1992
• "Employer Sanctions under the Immigration Reform and Control Act: Employers Beware!" Personnel & Labor:
• Special White Paper Report. Published by Steel, Hector & Davis for the Personnel and Labor ManagementCommittee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
• "Revised immigration laws ineffective solution to Florida's nursing shortage," Medical Business Newspaper, South Florida Edition, October 29, 1991
• "Disputed Sovereignty in the Falkland Islands: The Argentina-Great Britain Conflict of 1982," 11 Fla. St. U.L. Rev. 649, 1983

SELECTED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

• Speaker, "Immigration Law Update," Central Florida Human Resources Association's Employment Labor Law Seminar, Orlando, Florida, March 17, 2009
• Speaker, "Trends in Immigration: The Iceman Cometh," GrayRobinson, P.A.'s 12th Annual Employment and Labor Law Seminar, Orlando, Florida, November 6, 2008
• Speaker, "Visa and I-9 Issues for the HR Practitioner," Greater Miami Society for Human Resource Management's Legal Update for Effective HR Management, Coral Gables, Florida, May 2, 2002
• Speaker, "Employer Sanctions Update," Miami Jobs and Benefits Center Florida Employer Advisory Council Meeting, November 22, 1996
• Speaker, "Immigration-Related Employment Practices: A Tightrope of Compliance," Employment and Labor Law in Florida Seminar, Miami and West Palm Beach, February 21 & 23,1995, and October 25 & 27
• Speaker, "Planning Ahead for Visas to do Business in the United States," British-American Chamber of Commerce, Florida/U.K. Trade Mission, Bristol and Edinburgh, November 11-14, 1994
• Speaker, "H-2B Visas," American Immigration Lawyers' Association South Florida Chapter Annual Immigration Law Update, Miami, February 1994