David R. Martin
WHO I AM
Forged in large-firm environments and more than two decades of practice with my own firm, I litigate and provide advice in business matters in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico. My experience in state and federal courts and arbitration fora includes creditor rights, business torts, antitrust, distribution law, franchise law, corporate control, securities, tax controversies, and commercial insurance coverage disputes.
The high-involvement attorney-client relationship requires utmost mutual trust, respect and confidence during fluid and high-stakes circumstances. My ultimate concern is to achieve the client’s objectives founded on realistic expectations, proper motives, and my duty to conclude matters efficiently and ethically. I consider every engagement a privilege of absolute importance.
For matters requiring additional professional resources or expertise, after obtaining consent of the client, I associate co-counsel who share my core values. While alternative fee arrangements are possible, I generally bill by the hour, making adjustments in light of the results achieved in the engagement.More About Me
A little about me personally: Family lore has it that I was born on a snowy day in Toledo, Ohio. A few months later, I was baptized in the tropics of San Juan, Puerto Rico where I grew up part of my life. Periods of my childhood and early adult life were also spent in Texas, Connecticut, Massachusetts and England. My first regular job was delivering newspapers on a bicycle, a job I credit for my esteem of accuracy, timeliness and dependability. I played American football in high school and college. After college, I wrote for the sports section of The San Juan Star. I worked my way through law school. In 1990, I moved to Atlanta, where I took the adaptive step of changing my name from David Martinez to David Martin. Yet I continue to be immensely proud of my Hispanic heritage. When I am not practicing law, I like to travel and write about economic development and tax policy.
BAR ADMISSIONS
State:
Active licenses: Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
Inactive licenses: Colorado and Texas.
Federal: United States Supreme Court; First Circuit Court of Appeals; Third Circuit Court of Appeals; Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals; Middle District of Florida; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of Georgia; Middle District of Georgia; District of Colorado; District of Puerto Rico; United States Tax Court.
PARTIAL LIST OF REPORTED CASES
Langley v. National Labor Group, Inc., 262 Ga. App. 749, 586 S.E.2d 418 (2003)
Regal Lager, Inc. v. Baby Club of America, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84610 (N.D. Ga. 2006).
McDonough v. Toys R Us, 638 F.Supp.2d 461 (E.D. Pa. 2009).
GMC Group, Inc. v. Harsco Corp., 695 S.E.2d 702, 304 Ga. App. 182 (2010).
In re Baby Products Antitrust Litigation, 708 F.3d 163 (3d Cir. 2013).
FDIC v. PCF, LLC, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31582 (N.D. Ga. 2014).
St. Paul Mercury Ins. Co. v. Montgomery Cnty. Bankshares, Inc., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 185050 (N.D. Ga. December 30, 2014).
Samaca, LLC v. Cellairis Franchise, Inc. et al, 813 S.E.2d 416, 345 Ga. App. 368 (2018).
Earls v. Aneke, 829 S.E.2d 661, 350 Ga. App. 455 (Ga. App. 2019) (amicus).
Samaca, LLC v. Cellairis Franchise, Inc. et al, Dkt. No. 19-1188, U.S. S.Ct., 88 U.S.L.W. 37 (April 9, 2020) cert. denied 591 U.S. ___, 140 S.Ct. 2767 (May 21, 2020).
Garcia v. Rezi, 2023 WL 6536238 (N.D. Ga. Feb. 9, 2023).
In re Bailey, 40 F.4th 1158 (11th Cir. 2024) rehearing denied. (amicus).
J&J Sports Productions, Inc. v. Los Ranchos Latinos, Inc., 22-13434 (11th Cir. Aug. 1, 2024) (per curium).
EDUCATION
New York University School of Law, New York, New York (LL.M. taxation).
University of Puerto Rico Law School, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico (J.D., magna cum laude). (Highest score Puerto Rico bar exam administered in Spanish, 401 examinees, 43.5% pass rate; highest score federal bar exam of United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, 218 examinees, 22.5% pass rate).
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia (Post-baccalaureate studies in economics, finance and statistics).
Amherst College, Amherst, Mass. (B.A., cum laude). (Co-winner of Corbin Prize for original English essay).
Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, Conn. (Preparatory school diploma, dean’s list).
IDEAS AND REMEDIES
Original proponent of economic development concept: Puerto Rico City – Ciudad Borinquen – www.puertoricocity.com The future growth engine of Puerto Rico’s economic renaissance.
Obtained IRS Private Letter Ruling 123031-07.
MEMBERSHIPS AND APPOINTMENTS
Georgia Bankers Association, 2015 to present.
American Finance Association, 2004 to present.
American Arbitration Association, 2003 to 2013, member of National Roster of Commercial Arbitrators.
President of Amherst College Alumni Association of Georgia, February 1992 to May 1997, Treasurer, 1999 to 2004, arranging receptions and other alumni social gatherings, interviewing prospective students, and serving as principal contact for college officials and over 250 alumni throughout Georgia concerning college affairs.
Vice chairman of Southern Center for International Studies Young Professionals Division, Atlanta, Georgia, June 1995 to March 1997, working with chair to advance young professional agenda consistent with the internationally renowned center for scholarship on international affairs.
Chairman of Legal Task Force of the Latin American Association of Atlanta, January 1995 to March 1997, acting as principal legal contact to this United Way agency and working with volunteer attorneys in sponsoring community education programs, advocacy, and legal clinics for Georgia’s Hispanic community.
Member of Board of Trustees Georgia Council for International Visitors, Atlanta, Georgia, October 1996 to December 1997, serving to promote relationships with international visitors of demonstrated promise.
Director of The Spain Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, Inc., August 1994 to February 1996, working with board to execute chamber’s agenda of promoting bilateral trade and investment between Georgia and Spain.
INTERVIEWS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS & SOURCE CITATIONS
Comment in “U.S. High Court Denies Cert In Cellphone Repair Franchise Purchase Dispute” LexisLegalNews (Mealy’s Franchise Reporter May 20, 2020).
Comment in “SUPREME COURT DOCKET—Recent decisions, cases, and petitions pending High Court review” by Peter Reap in Antitrust Daily (Wolters Kluwer April 6, 2020).
Cited in “Puerto Rico Debt Restructuring: Origins of a Constitutional and Humanitarian Crisis,” by Elizabeth Whiting, in 50 U. Miami Inter-Am. L. Rev. 237 (2019)
Cited in “Puerto Rico’s Challenges Present an Opportunity for Tax Reform” by Demian Brady published by National Union Taxpayers Foundation (March 26, 2019).
Quoted in “Son miles los que dejan el gobierno”, El Vocero (November 30, 2018) regarding Puerto Rico government’s voluntary retirement program.
Quoted in “The Consequences from Issuing Invalid Municipal Debt: Examining the Voidable Debt Issues in the Detroit Bankruptcy and Puerto Rican Debt Crisis,” by Joshua C. Showalte in North Carolina Banking Institute, Vol. 21, Issue 1, (March 1, 2017).
Cited in “Origins of Puerto Rico Fiscal Crisis,” by Joffe, Marc D. and Martinez, Jesse, (April 12, 2016). Mercatus Research, George Mason University.
Quoted in “Padilla, Bearer of Bad News, Unpopular Choices,” Global Finance (Dec. 2015).
Quoted in “Puerto Rico considers simple solution to debt crisis: Don’t pay,” Al Jazeera America (Oct. 25, 2015).
Radio guest (in Spanish) on WBMJ 1190 AM, San Juan, Puerto Rico, regarding the “Puerto Rico Public Corporation Debt Enforcement and Recovery Act” June 30, 2014.
Book presentation (in Spanish), Puerto Rico City, Una Novela, Libros AC, Santurce, Puerto Rico, Nov. 5, 2013.
Radio guest (in Spanish) on WBMJ 1190 AM, San Juan, Puerto Rico, regarding book “Puerto Rico: El Manual de Rescate Económico” April 8, 2013.
Television guest (in Spanish) on WPBA Channel 30, Atlanta Public Television, regarding legal aspects of starting a business, February 13, 2011.
Television guest (in Spanish) on WPBA Channel 30, Atlanta Public Television, regarding legal entity selection for businesses, January 7, 2007.
Television guest (in Spanish) on WPBA Channel 30, Atlanta Public Television, regarding income tax law, October 20, 2002.
Television guest (in Spanish) on WPBA Channel 30, Atlanta Public Television, on the judicial system, September 1, 2002.
Television guest (in Spanish) on WPBA Channel 30, Atlanta Public Television regarding contract law, November 7, 2001.
Speaker (in Spanish) on a regular basis for the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on legal aspects of starting your own business from 1997 to 2005.
Speaker on radio talk show concerning the business and legal environment for U.S. foreign investment in Mexico, Chile and Argentina, October 1, 1996, by Frank Baia of GLOBALSpeak, WQXI 790 AM, Atlanta, Georgia.
Speaker on the sale and protection of software in Argentina, December 14, 1994 conference sponsored by Hi-Tech Roundtable of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker on income tax issues concerning U.S. aliens, sponsored by the Latin American Association, Atlanta, Georgia, March 28, 1996.
Speaker on the financial services sector in Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement, June 6, 1994 conference sponsored by Delloitte & Touche and Kilpatrick & Cody entitled “Mexico – The Gateway to Latin America.”
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
The identities of representative clients will be provided upon request with the consent of each client.
