James Martin

James C. Martin is a partner working out of the Pittsburgh and Los Angeles offices, who has specialized in appellate law for more than 35 years. He is certified as a specialist in the area of Appellate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Jim is a fellow and former president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and is a member and former president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

He is a founding member of the Third Circuit Bar Association and served as its second  president. He also is a member of the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Section on Appellate Courts and served as its chair. He served for three years on the California State Bar Committee on Appellate Courts and is the former vice-chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Appellate Law and Practice Committee.

Jim has briefed and handled cases in the United States Supreme Court, the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals, the Federal Circuit, the Court of Claims, the California Supreme Court, the California Courts of Appeal, the Washington Supreme Court, the Arizona Appellate and Supreme Courts, the Delaware Supreme Court, the Nevada Supreme Court, the Ohio Appellate and Supreme Courts, the Pennsylvania Appellate and Supreme Courts, the Texas Appellate and Supreme Courts, the Massachusetts Supreme Court, and the Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and New Jersey Appellate Courts.

Education :

• Santa Clara University School of Law, 1978, J.D., summa cum laude, Editor-in-Chief of the Santa Clara Law Review
• Colorado College, 1974, B.A., History, Named Outstanding Senior majoring in History; Phi Beta Kappa; Pi Gamma Mu

Professional Admissions & Qualifications :

• California
• Pennsylvania

Court Admissions :

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Claims
• U.S. District Court – Central District of California
• U.S. Court of Appeals – District of Columbia Circuit

Professional Affiliations :

• American Academy of Appellate Lawyers – Fellow; Director (2007 to 2015); Secretary (2009-2011); Treasurer (2012); Vice President, President-Elect (2013); President (2014); Immediate Past President (2015)
• American Law Institute – Member
• American Bar Association – Tort & Insurance Section; Appellate Judges Conference; Appellate Advocacy Committee
• National Foundation for Judicial Excellence – Program Committee
• Third Circuit Bar Association – President (2009-2010); Board of Governors (2007-2012)
• Defense Research Institute (DRI) – Appellate Advocacy Committee; Lawyer’s Professionalism and Ethics Committee
• State Bar of California – Litigation Section (1978-present); Appellate Courts Committee (1992-1994)