The Hall of Fame accolade is reserved for top vote-getters in each of the 17 specialty categories of Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, recognizing attorneys who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievement and impact over many years. Induction into the Hall of Fame is among the most prestigious honors a lawyer can receive in North Carolina, as selections are driven by peer recognition.
In his Business North Carolina profile, Martin shared insights into his background, career motivations, and personal interests with his characteristic sense of humor. From the article:
HOMETOWN: Chauvin, Louisiana
UNDERGRAD: Spring Hill College (Mobile, Alabama)
LAW SCHOOL: Tulane Law School, 1995
PRACTICED LAW: 31 years
FAMILY: Married to Anne Conquest for 30 years and two sons, Max and Leo
FAVORITE NC PRODUCT: East Fork Pottery because Rice Krispies really pop in their bowls
FIRST JOB: My dad was a crane operator for a drilling company in Louisiana and got me a summer job as a deckhand on a 65-foot crew boat moving personnel and supplies to rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. I learned how to tie knots, swab decks, navigate in fog and fend off roughnecks eager to haze a future “college boy.”
GO-TO STRESS RELIEVER: Long walks
MOST MEMORABLE CASE: Representing victims of Hal Brown, who played the bongo drums for Up With People, then ran a Ponzi scheme in Biltmore Forest before taking residence at a federal prison in Talladega, Alabama. Talk about a life in full.
WHY DID YOU BECOME A LAWYER: I was a liberal arts major in college. To paraphrase Robert Frost, when I graduated, two roads diverged in the woods. I took the one more traveled. Also, I liked the TV show “LA Law.”
FAVORITE NC HANGOUT: Asheville
BEST ADVICE: Omit needless words. From “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White.
YOUR BEST ADVICE: Prioritize your spouse’s career over your own.
BEST WORK HABIT: I finish each workday with an empty email inbox.
Most of the time, I can delete all my unread emails without consequence.
2026 WORK-LIFE CHANGE: A substantial increase in salary and reduction in billable hours based on receiving this honor.
BIGGEST RISK: I know people do it all the time, but moving from New Orleans to Greenville (North Carolina) in 1999.
FAVORITE MUSICAL ACT AT 18: The Cure and I have the eyeliner stains to prove it.
Each year, fewer than 1,100 attorneys are selected for Business North Carolina‘s Legal Elite, compared to more than 30,000 attorneys regulated by the North Carolina State Bar. This year, 38 Ward and Smith attorneys earned recognition, including prior Hall of Fame inductees Joanne Badr, Brad Evans, Will Oden, and Amy Wang, alongside legal luminaries such as David Ward (retired, Counsel Emeritus) and Jim Creekman (retired). While Hall of Fame inductees are no longer eligible for future category awards under publication rules, they continue to be recognized annually on Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite list.