James W. Martin
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in St. Petersburg, FL
- Estate Planning & Probate (50%),
- Real Estate: Business (50%)
Jim Martin practices estate planning, probate, trusts, real estate, contracts, and business law in Florida, has the highest ratings in Avvo, Martindale, & Superlawyers, is an author and lecturer, is Florida Bar Board Certified in Real Estate Law, and is Adjunct Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law.
Having practiced law with passion and dedication for more than 45 years, Mr. Martin is rated AV Preeminent* by the peer review organization Martindale-Hubbell. He is also listed in Super Lawyers.
Along with serving as a professor, Mr. Martin educates others through presenting at a variety of conferences and seminars on real estate and probate matters as well as various other legal topics. He has also authored numerous books and articles for continuing legal education programs and other legal publications in these practice areas.
Mr. Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Stetson University and earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law. In addition to practicing in all Florida state courts, he is licensed to appear before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.
As the president of James W. Martin, P.A., attorney James W. Martin serves clients throughout the Tampa Bay area and Pinellas County cities including Belleair, Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shores, Clearwater, Dunedin, Gulfport, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Kenneth City, North Redington Beach, Oldsmar, Pinellas Park, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, Safety Harbor, St. Pete Beach, St. Petersburg, Seminole and South Pasadena.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
- 50%Estate Planning & Probate
- 50%Real Estate
Probate & Estate Administration
Selections
Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2020
Certificates and Credentials
- Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization - Real Estate
To: James W. Martin
Super Lawyers: Potential Client Inquiry
Additional Sources of Information About James W. Martin
About James Martin
Admitted: 1974, Florida
Professional Webpage: https://jamesmartinpa.com/bio/
Honors/Awards:
- Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame, Stetson University College of Law, 2013
- Rated 10 by AVVO
- Who's Who in America
- Who's Who in Entertainment
- Super Lawyers
- Barbara Sanders Memorial Writing Competition, The Florida Bar Journal, 2001
- Martindale-Hubbell AV rating
- Who's Who in the World
- Ben C. Willard Award, Stetson Lawyers Association, 2011, Ben C. Willard Award, Stetson Lawyers Association, 2011
- Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America
- Who's Who in American Law
- Who's Who in the South/Southwest
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Real Estate Law
Bar/Professional Activity:
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- Chair, The Florida Bar Coordinating Committee on Technology, 1992
- Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Technology Section, 2004
- Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Business Law Section, 2009
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
- The Florida Bar Probate Rules Committee, 1994
- Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Law Section, 2000
- Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Section, 2007
- Editorial Board, ALI CLE The Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute - American Bar Association (2010-2016)
- Florida
- Secretary, The Florida Bar Law Office Management Section, 1980
- Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property Section, 2008
- U.S. Supreme Court
Pro bono/Community Service:
- City Councilman, City of St. Petersburg, Florida, 1982
- Councilman, Pinellas County Arts Council (1997-2001), 2001
- Graduate, Leadership Tampa Bay (Board of Directors 1989), 1988
- Secretary, Trustee and/or Attorney, Salvador Dali Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida (1980-present)
- Board of Directors, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, 2003
- Board Attorney, St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, 1992
- Graduate, Leadership St. Pete (Planning Committee 1982), 1980
- Board of Trustees, and Secretary, Florida International Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida (1992-94), 1994
- Co-founder, Bring Back the Vinoy, Inc., 1984
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- "The Technology You Need to Project the Vision of Your Case," The Practical Litigator, ALI-ABA (Mar 2004), The Florida Bar News (Oct 15, 2003)
- "Practice Tip: It's Okay to Contact the Judicial Assistant," St. Petersburg Bar Association Paraclete (Nov 2003)
- "An Introduction to the Paperless Law Office", 2009
- "A File Management System for Lawyers," The Florida Bar News (Sep 15, 2003)
- "Jim's Three Favorite Technology Tools," The Florida Bar News (July 15, 2003), ALI-ABA CLE Review (Dec 26, 2003)
- "Snakes in the Grass: Hidden Real Property Issues in Probate", St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate & Real Property Section, 2008
- "Legislature Limits Homeowners' Rights to Sue Contractors," The Florida Bar News (June 1, 2003)
- "Drafting a Clear As-Is Agreement", St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property Section, 2007
- "Drafting the Contract or Settlement Agreement That Stays Out of Court," The Brief (ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Winter 2003), The Best Articles Published by the ABA (ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section, Sep 2003)
- "Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate", St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Section, 2007
- "Forming a Small Music Business: The Who Meets the Whys and Wherefores," The Practical Lawyer ALI-ABA (Mar 2002)
- "Drafting the Settlement Agreement That Stays Out of Court", American Bar Association Convention, Tort & Insurance Practice Section, Chicago, 2001
- "Putting Your Entertainment or Sports Clients' Nest Egg in Florida: Legal Ways to Preserve Wealth," Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section Newsletter, Florida Bar (May 2001)
- "The Lawyer's Conscience: Professionalism and Ethics in Writing", Florida Bar Convention, 2001
- "Fifty Tips for Writing the 21st Century Contract That Stays Out of Court", ALI-ABA Practical Real Estate Lawyer & Florida Bar Journal (Nov 2000), The Florida Bar Journal 2001 Barbara Sanders Memorial Writing Competition Award, ALI-ABA's Practice Checklist Manual for Drafting Leases IV, June 2003
- "Forming a Small Music Business: The Who Meets the Whys and the Wherefores", Florida Bar Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section annual meeting, 2001
- "How to Write Letters Nonlawyers Will Read", The Practical Lawyer (ALI-ABA Jan 2000), Florida Bar News (Sep 1, 1999)
- "How to Write Letters Non Lawyers Will Read", Florida Bar Convention, 1999
- Adjunct Professor of Law, Contract Drafting and Law Practice Management, Stetson College of Law
- "The Lawyer's Conscience: Professionalism in Writing Contracts and Wills for a Mechanistic World", Florida Bar Convention, 1998
- "Godzilla in Cyberspace: Art Meets the Internet Police; Legal Tips for Artists Working Online," Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Pinellas County Arts Council, 2002
- "Writing the Contract That Stays Out of Court", Florida Bar Conventions, 1994, 1997, 2000
- "Tech Check for Lawyers," "Document Scanning System for Lawyers," & "Computer Security for Lawyers," St. Petersburg - Clearwater Bar Associations Technology Seminar, 2004
- "The Technology You Need to Project the Vision of Your Case," Bench & Bar Conference, Stetson College of Law, St. Pete.-Clearwater Bar Associations, 2003
- “Getting to Paperless: A Lawyer or Law Firm's Step-by-Step Guide", Florida Bar Young Lawyers Basic Technology Course, 2013
- Book author: "West's Florida Corporations System", 1984
- Tips for Handling the Complex Real Property Transaction, St. Petersburg Bar Real Property Section, 2013
- Book author: "Nonprofit Corporations and Associations", volume 29, West's Legal Forms 2nd, 3rd and4th editions 1986-2004), 2004
- Books author: "Real Estate Transactions", West's Florida Legal Forms Volumes 3 and 4 (1991-1995), 1995
- "How to Write Contracts and Other Documents as a Professional in a Mechanistic World" ("The Lawyer's Conscience: Professionalism in Writing Contracts and Wills for a Mechanistic World"), The Practical Real Estate Lawyer (ALI-ABA Nov. 1999), Florida Bar News (Aug 1, 1998)
- Books co-author with Greg Yadley: "Business Organizations", West's Florida Legal Forms Volumes 1 and 2 (1991-1995), 1995
- "Fifty Tips for Writing the Contract That Stays Out of Court", The Practical Real Estate Lawyer (ALI-ABA May 1998), Florida Bar News (Aug 1, 1997)
- Books author: "Specialized Forms", West's Florida Legal Forms Volumes 8 and 9 (1991-1995), 1995
- "A Ban on 'Adult Only' Communities and Much More: The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988", Probate & Property, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, American Bar Association (Sept/Oct 1989)
- Supplements Editor: Florida Jur Forms, volumes 1 - 15, West Publishing (1998 & 1999), 1999
- "How to Protect the Plaintiff in a Structured Settlement", Trial Magazine, ATLA (1982)
- "I Want to Sign an Electronic Will", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (June 2009)
- "A Client Letter", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA; Getting to Paperless: A Lawyer or Law Firm's Step-by-Step Guide", Florida Bar Young Lawyers Basic Technology Course (2013)
- "Don't Print That Email", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (April 2009)
- Tips for Handling the Complex Real Property Transaction, ALI CLE The Practical Lawyer (accepted for publication 2013)
- "Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate (With Forms)", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (Aug 2008)
- Lecturer, Basics of Contract Drafting, The Florida Bar, 2018
- "Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate (With Forms)", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (Aug 2008)
- "Going Paperless...Or Not", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (Oct 2007)
- "A Model Electronic File Policy for the Law Office", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (April 2007), The Florida Bar News (Nov 1, 2006)
- "May I Shred My Scanned Paper Files", The Florida Bar News (Dec 1, 2006)
- "I Want to Probate a Will in Federal Court", The Florida Bar News (June 1, 2006)
- "How to Sue an LLC Member Without Piercing the Corporate Veil", The Florida Bar News (Sep 1, 2004)
- "Is the Law of the Body a Body of Law?", The Florida Bar News (June 1, 2004)
- "Be Careful Using Form Real Estate Contracts," The Florida Bar News (April 30, 2004)
- "Forget to Put Your Client's Address in the Judgment?", The Florida Bar News (Mar. 1, 2004)
- "Construction Contractors in Florida Are Incorporating," The Florida Bar News (Feb. 1, 2004)
Educational Background:
- Stetson University, B.S., Mathematics, 1971
- Stetson University College of Law, J.D., 1974
- Co-Op Engineering Student, Georgia Institute of Technology
James W. Martin:
Last Updated: 1/3/2020