Jerry Watson - of Counsel

Practice Areas

Representing corporate sureties and related trade associations
Specializing in the field of criminal court appearance and immigration bonding

Preparatory and Legal Education:

Baylor Law School, J.D., 1968
Baylor University, B.A., 1963

Notables:

Member of Delta Theta Phi fraternity
Graduate of National College of Criminal Defense Attorneys and Public Defenders, 1971
Has served, in one capacity or another, as an attorney specializing in the bail surety field for over 40 years

Representative Experience:

Representing retail bail agents, administrators, national bail surety trade associations and the sureties in various elements of their bail related interests.
Serving as General Legal Counsel to national trade associations, such as the National Association of Bail Insurance Companies and the American Bail Coalition, whose members include insurance companies underwriting bail nationally.
Holding the position of Chief Legal Counsel, Bail, for over 35 years for International Fidelity Insurance Company, the nation’s oldest and largest underwriter of criminal court appearance bonds.
30 years as National Legal Counsel to Allegheny Casualty Company, an old line bail underwriter.
Current Chief Legal Officer for AIA Holdings, Inc, the nation’s largest bail program administrator.
Representing the commercial bonding industry, for the last 15 years, as a member of the Private Sector Board of Directors of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the country’s largest bi-partisan state legislator membership association from which position he has personally crafted, or participated in the crafting of, many bail related legislative measures. Served a full term recently as Board Chair and is currently Chairman Emeritus.
Appearing many times, over the last 35 years, before state and federal legislative committees to testify either in support of, or in opposition to, bills pertaining to bail.
Frequently presenting on the subject of bail at continuing education seminars attended by judges, attorneys, and retail bail agents. In the preceding ten years, has authored a chapter on Bail Bonds, including as part of the American Bar Association book, The Law of Miscellaneous and Commercial Surety Bonds, Todd C. Kazlow and Bruce C. King, Editors, published in 2001, as well as numerous articles for trade related publications on the subject of bail.

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