Billy Martin Joins Howrey

Washington, D.C. May 7, 2009…Prominent criminal defense attorney, Billy Martin, joins Howrey LLP in Washington effective immediately. Martin, whose caseload has included many complex commercial cases, accounting irregularity, fraud and professional liability matters as well as representation of foreign corporations and heads of state will be part of Howrey’s Securities, Government Enforcement and White Collar (SGW) group within its Global Litigation Practice.

Bob Ruyak, Howrey’s Chairman and CEO, said, “We have known Billy for years and he has many friends and admirers here. It is exciting to have him joining the team. He is a highly experienced, first class trial lawyer, proficient in handling complex civil and criminal matters.  Billy is a great addition to what we believe is the deepest and broadest trial bench of any firm in the country.”

Billy Martin brings to Howrey his diverse trial practice, jury trial experience and representation of individuals and corporations in connection with federal and state criminal investigations, and in a variety of civil disputes. He has conducted extensive internal corporate investigations, including investigating and defending accounting fraud allegations. He has served as a counselor to Fortune 500 corporations, private citizens, political leaders, professional athletes, entertainment industry celebrities, and local and foreign governments. A skilled negotiator, Billy Martin is often charged with bringing diverse constituencies together to resolve community conflicts, usually in the midst of highly charged political circumstances.

Prior to entering private practice in 1990, he had an extensive public service career as a local prosecutor in Ohio and later with the Department of Justice and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Bob Abrams, who co-chairs Howrey’s Global Litigation Practice, stressed the importance of Howrey’s bench strength. “Billy’s substantial involvement in major criminal matters as well as his experience in civil disputes involving financial fraud, improper employment practices, civil rights violations and complex commercial disputes is an excellent fit as we continue to serve our Global Litigation clients. We are delighted that he has joined Howrey.”

Jim Hibey, one of the co-chairs of Howrey’s SGW practice, welcomed Billy to Howrey.

“I have known Billy for more than 20 years, as competent opposing counsel, as a fierce advocate for his clients and always as a friend. I look forward to his participation on our white collar team. He joins a group widely considered one of the nation’s finest. Billy, welcome to Howrey.”

Billy Martin noted, “Now that so many of the issues currently at the forefront of a white collar practice are more than ever international in scope, Howrey's international platform- and the fact that it can simultaneous represent clients in multiple international jurisdictions - was an irresistible element in my decision to join the firm. I have known Howrey lawyers for years and count them among my close friends and colleagues. I look forward to practicing law with them in this stimulating environment.”

Billy Martin has been honored by colleagues and legal observers alike. He was ranked No. 4 in The Washingtonian’s ranking of “Top Lawyers”; selected as one of the National Law Journal’s “50 Most Influential Minority Attorneys”; one of only three lawyers in private practice named in the Politics and Law section of Ebony magazine’s Power 150; selected as a “Super Lawyer” in 2007, 2008, 2009; a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Cincinnati College of Law, the Distinguished Alumni Award, Howard University and an Inductee into the Morehouse College International Board of Renaissance Leaders. He is also a frequent contributor to radio and television.

                                                                - 0 -

Founded in 1956, Howrey LLP is a global law firm with over 725 attorneys and more than 50 economic, financial and regulatory consultants. Howrey has offices in Washington DC; Northern Virginia; Houston, Texas; New York, New York; Los Angeles, Irvine, East Palo Alto and San Francisco, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Chicago, Illinois; London, England; Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Munich, Germany; Madrid, Spain and Taipei, Taiwan. Howrey's affiliate, The CapAnalysis Group, LLC (economic, financial, and litigation consultants) teams with Howrey attorneys as a strategic business resource. A consistent American Lawyer “A-List” and PLC Which Lawyer? “Global 50” firm, Howrey is one of the most frequently used law firms by the world’s leading companies. Howrey’s Intellectual Property practice was ranked as a top national IP practice and the Top IP Appellate practice by IP Law & Business and its Antitrust practice topped Global Competition Review’s  “GCR 100.” As the winner of the 2003 Thomas L. Sager Award from the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Howrey is committed to the ideals of diversity and is equally committed to the tenets of pro bono and public service. Howrey's “Advantage of Focus” makes it the clear choice for antitrust, intellectual property and complex business dispute resolution. For more information, visit our Web site at www.howrey.com.