Dr. Shawn Watts

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Shawn K. Watts is a Lecturer at Columbia Law School and the Associate Director of the Edson Queiroz Foundation Mediation Program. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, Watts has been recognized with the Jane Marks Murphy Prize for clinical advocacy and served as a Strine Fellow during his studies at Columbia Law School. His teaching focuses on Native American Peacemaking, which explores traditional indigenous forms of dispute resolution. Additionally, Watts has mediated cases in the New York City Civil Court and the Harlem Small Claims Court and has supervised student mediations as part of court-related programs in New York City. Before his role in the mediation program, he was associated with the finance bankruptcy practice group at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton in New York, where he represented both creditors and debtors in multimillion-dollar bankruptcy cases, with a specialization in federal Indian law and tribal finance. Watts earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was the president of the National Native American Law Students Association and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He also served as the managing editor of the Law School’s Journal of Law and Social Problems. Watts obtained a B.A. from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2000.

Research Interests

Experience

Lecturer

— Present

Columbia Law School • New York

Lecturer specializing in mediation and Native American peacemaking.

Associate Director

— Present

Edson Queiroz Foundation Mediation Program • New York

Oversees mediation initiatives and student mediation supervision.

Associate

— Present

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton • New York

Worked in the finance bankruptcy practice group focusing on federal Indian law and tribal finance.

Requirements for Columbia Law School

Bachelor Program
Requirements
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent
Application Checklist
  • LSAC CAS Registration
  • Application Form
  • Application Fee ($85)
  • Academic Transcripts
  • LSAT or GRE Scores
  • Two Letters of Recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Personal Statement
  • Dean's Appraisal/Certification
Specialization Notes

Juris Doctor (J.D.) program. While 'Department of Law' is not a formal administrative division for admissions, this entry covers the primary J.D. program.