Broker standards
Standard of care, fiduciary duty, disclosure, supervision, procuring cause, and commercially reasonable conduct.
Consulting & testifying expert
Commercial real estate experience, clearly stated.
Twenty-plus years in the market. More than $500 million in commercial transactions. Independent analysis built for counsel, deposition, and trial.
Licensed California BrokerCalDRE #01754440
Areas of testimony
The practical questions behind a commercial real estate dispute.
Analysis grounded in how brokers, owners, investors, and property professionals actually operate.
Transactions & valuation
Purchase and sale agreements, broker opinions of value, marketing exposure, and commission or compensation disputes.
Ownership & investment
1031 exchanges, Opportunity Zones, partnership or LLC dissolution, TIC interests, partition, and sponsor decisions.
Leasing & management
Commercial lease enforcement, landlord–tenant issues, property management practice, and operating standards.
Clear work product
Analysis counsel can use—and a jury can understand.
The value of an opinion is not its length. It is whether the reasoning is disciplined, the assumptions are visible, and the conclusion can be explained without jargon.
“The objective is to make a complex transaction understandable without making it simplistic.”
Engagements can include
Early case assessment and issue spotting
Document review and chronology development
Written expert reports and rebuttal analysis
Deposition preparation and testimony
Trial preparation and courtroom testimony
Settlement and mediation support
Engagement process
Deliberate from the first call.
Conflict check
Send the parties, venue, case number, and a short description. Conflicts are reviewed before substantive discussion.
Scope the assignment
We identify the questions presented, available records, deadlines, and the appropriate consulting or testifying role.
Review & analysis
The record is evaluated against real-world commercial brokerage practice, transaction evidence, and applicable standards.
Explain the opinion
Findings are delivered in plain language built to hold up in a report, deposition, mediation, or at trial.
Active broker. Current market perspective.
Experience that stays current
A broker in today’s market—not one who left it years ago.
Tom Watkins is a Regional Vice President of Investments with more than 20 years in commercial real estate and involvement in over $500 million of transactions throughout his career.
His background includes brokerage and leadership roles with Marcus & Millichap, RE/MAX Commercial Properties, and Keller Williams Commercial Properties.
LicenseCalifornia Real Estate Broker · #01754440
PracticeCommercial investment sales & advisory
RoleConsulting or testifying expert
Published rates
Clear terms from the outset.
Final scope, retainers, travel, and cancellation terms are confirmed in the engagement letter.
Case review & consultation$350/hour
Case assessment, record review, analysis, conferences, and report preparation.
Deposition$450/hour
Deposition testimony and directly related preparation. Four-hour minimum.
Trial testimony$500/hour
Trial testimony and directly related preparation. Full-day minimum.
Questions from counsel
Before the first conversation.
Every inquiry is treated as confidential and subject to a conflict review.
Do you work for plaintiffs and defendants?
Yes. Engagements are accepted from either side. The analysis follows the facts, records, and professional standards—not the retaining party.
What should I send for a conflict check?
Please include the case name and number, venue, parties, involved firms, a brief description of the dispute, and the opinions being considered.
Can you serve as a consulting expert only?
Yes. Assignments may be limited to confidential consulting, early case assessment, document review, or strategy support without testimony.
How quickly can you assess availability?
A preliminary conflict and availability response is generally returned within one business day after receiving the essential case details.
Confidential inquiry
Start with a conflict check.
Share only what is necessary to identify the parties and understand the general nature of the matter. No engagement is formed by submitting this form.
One-business-day response for most conflict and availability checks.