bˈɔːɹn ɪn wˈɪnsloʊ, ˌæɹɪzˈoʊnə, hˈɔːkɪnz ɹᵻsˈiːvd hɪz bˈætʃəlɚɹ ʌv ˈɑːɹts dᵻɡɹˈiː ænd dʒˈʊɹɹɪs dˈɑːktɚ fɹʌm ˌæɹɪzˈoʊnə stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ænd ˌæɹɪzˈoʊnə stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌv lˈɔː ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti, ɹᵻspˈɛktɪvli, ænd hɪz mˈæstɚɹ ʌv lˈɔːz fɹʌmðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv vɜːdʒˈɪniə skˈuːl ʌv lˈɔː ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt.
Born in Winslow, Arizona, Hawkins received his Bachelor of Arts degree and Juris Doctor from Arizona State University and Arizona State University College of Law in 1967 and 1970, respectively, and his Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1998.