Marsha Watson
Executive Director
505 Main Street, Suite 50
P.O. Box 2027
Knoxville, TN 37901-2027
Phone: (865) 522-6522
Fax: (865) 523-5662
mwatson@knoxbar.org
When you were a kid, did you dream of being a Bar Association Executive?
Of course! Doesn’t everyone?! I actually wanted to ride horses for a living.
Describe how you got to where you are today:
I majored in Government & Politics at George Mason University in Northern Virginia. My first job was at the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) in Washington DC and I travelled quite a bit helping fundraise for state PAC’s. When the former Executive Director of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association (MTLA) was retiring, a friend and Past MTLA President suggested I apply for the job…it worked out! I concentrated on growing the membership of the MTLA and coordinated an Annual Conference at the beach. After a couple of years I learned of the opening at the KBA and since my parents were retiring from Maryland to Tellico Village in Lenoir City, I decided to apply for the job. I was six months pregnant at the time and had never been to Knoxville but as they say, the rest is history.
Tell us more about yourself.
I started working for the KBA in 1990, so I’ve witnessed the growth of the local legal community and experienced the significant changes to the legal profession in the last three decades. I am the proud mother of two sons, Tyler (29) and Hunter (24) and I am a “dog” mom to Sugar, a sweet rescue pup I adopted 10 years ago. I eloped with my prince charming, Eddie Watson, in Savannah on October 1, 2016 and as a result, I have a wonderful extended family including stepchildren and step-grandchildren. In our spare time, we enjoy travelling to the beach, cycling, horse races, bourbon tours and anything involving live music.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Working with the many outstanding attorneys in our community. Making the KBA the most valuable and relevant legal resource in our area. The Association is fortunate to have an amazing team of professional staff who execute the KBA’s various functions and priorities.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Managing successfully the different roles & responsibilities needed for a small bar association!
What does our bar do better than most?
Great events that are consistently being refreshed & digging deep to listen and determine what our members find most valuable and beneficial about their membership.
