Annual Report

for the year ending 2025

Law Office of Matthew G. Watson, Esquire

The purpose of this report is to outline primarily for myself, but also for my employees, my clients, and my colleagues among the Bench and Bar what I intend to contribute to my community through my law practice. While it is unusual for a one-man workshop like mine to produce something like this for the world to see, I feel it an important step in accomplishing my objectives.

A Brief History of the Practice

As I enter the 22nd year of the practice of law, I have learned an awful lot. Perhaps the most important thing I have learned is that one can never stop learning if one is to be successful at any appreciable level. I have been extremely fortunate to have learned the nuts and bolts of my trade from several fine attorneys. Bill Cooksey and George Dubois took me in as a know-nothing law clerk for the three years I attended law school and began to show me the fundamentals of the business of how to practice law. After a brief stint at a large law firm in El Paso, John Keithly and Shane English adopted me as a junior associate where I was turned loose to learn the art of the country lawyer. I regret the manner in which I departed that firm as it ended my relationship with John, but I admire his style to this day. Shane and I remain friends, for which I am grateful.

In 2007, my old pal Dean Clark and I launched out on our own, renting a space together to save costs. I took the computer from my living room and started building my practice. Mostly I made mistakes.

As a young lawyer, I was oblivious to how much I did not know.

What it is we do

I like to think of myself as the attorney for the regular person. My clients tend to be individuals or small businesses. I am a problem solver. I do my best work, and the work that I truly enjoy, when a client has the foresight to come talk with me before they sign a contract, buy or sell an asset, form a business with others, or otherwise form some sort of binding relationship. I am at my best helping people develop good business practices.

Unfortunately, however, that pre-emptive sort of practice comprises less than ten percent of what we actually do at the firm because most of my clients come to me long after the decisions that actually caused the problem were actually made. I mostly deal with poorly drafted contracts for the sale and finance of land and homes, businesses formed between individuals who do not know each other well enough to be in business together, and probate matters in which families fail to plan for their passing, leaving their affairs in terrible disarray after their passing. I have watched several fortunes squandered by battling family members over poorly planned estates.

Helping clients with these kinds of disputes, both in and out of the courtroom makes up the bulk of our practice. We are quite good at it within our sphere and strive for excellence across the spectrum of our work. We also work very hard to work within our clients’ budgetary means. We excel at helping clients understand early what the realities of their situation are so that there are no surprises later on.

This is one of the most severe flaws in our legal system. Many lawyers lack the experience, expertise, or integrity to really sit down with a party before the litigation begins and really explain the options available to the client. Making matters worse, TV and Movies perpetuate the myth that hiring a slick lawyer or law firm will help you “win”. It simply doesn’t work that way for most of the small to mid-range disputes my clients become involved in. There are, in my opinion, far too many attorneys who simply take a client’s money, and launch headlong into the fray without really developing a plan or evaluating what that will look like. And God forbid you become involved in a dispute with a person or business who doesn’t care how much gets spent in attorney’s fees.

Meet our Team

I am extremely proud of our Team here at the firm. Each team member is intelligent, loyal, and hard-working. Without them, my life would be far less enjoyable.

Nicole Carpio

Nicole has been with the firm for eight years now. She is my right-hand-man. Not only does she work her backside off to keep all of the loose ends tied up at the office, but I also often seek her guidance on people. She has a keen sense of people and is especially good at sniffing out troublemakers. I have been extremely grateful many times for her intuition. You are fortunate if Nicole is assigned to work on your file.

Vanessa Delgado

Vanessa is in her second tour with the firm. She was the first person I hired when I struck out on my own. She worked with me for many years and then took a brief hiatus at a time when the practice was a bit dodgy. She returned in early 2025, and boy are we glad to have her back. Her legal knowledge and skills exceed that of most attorneys, and she too has a nose for people. Clients always report what a pleasure it is to work with Vanessa.

Samantha Dominguez

Sam is a recent addition to the Team. She is working toward dental school and may only be with us a short while longer. If Nicole is my right-hand-man, Sam is quickly becoming my left. She has taken over executing the firm’s technology and marketing objectives, managing social media, all while managing the responsibilities of a receptionist with grace and style. She is an incredible asset to a small business like ours.

Matt Watson

Matt is known for his straightforward approach and sharp legal insight. He does not sugarcoat difficult issues and believes clients are best served by clear, honest advice. While he can be firm when the situation requires it, his dedication to excellence, preparation, and results reflects a genuine commitment to his clients and the profession.

What we Anticipate for 2026

We would love to have more of our clients operate in a pre-emptive manner and come see us before disputes arise. But we will continue to sharpen our skills at evaluating problems and helping clients choose and execute the best solution for that situation.

We are in the process of implementing Clio, a legal software platform that will greatly enhance our clients’ experience with the firm.

Our main objective is to be useful to our community, to assist our clients, and to be a meaningful and positive part of the legal and business systems in which we operate. We will continue to be at your service.