ember ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁– ▁November ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁lawyer ▁and ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁a ▁soci ally ▁conserv ative ▁view ▁of ▁marriage ▁and ▁the ▁family . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Robert ▁W . ▁B ark er ▁Professor ▁of ▁Law ▁at ▁the ▁J . ▁Re uben ▁Clark ▁Law ▁School ▁which ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁University ▁( BY U ) ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Family ▁Policy ▁Center ▁at ▁BY U ▁which ▁was ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁Clark ▁Law ▁School ▁and ▁the ▁David ▁M . ▁Kennedy ▁Center ▁for ▁International ▁Studies . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁solic itor ▁general ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Wil kins ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁a ▁mission ▁for ▁the ▁church ▁in ▁Italy ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁ ▁Wil kins ▁received ▁a ▁Joseph ▁Field ing ▁Smith ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁BY U . ▁ ▁He ▁graduated ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁his ▁class ▁in ▁the ▁BY U ▁School ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁and ▁Communic ation . ▁ ▁He ▁earned ▁his ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁journal ism . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁J . ▁Re uben ▁Clark ▁Law ▁School ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁his ▁class ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁editor