Judy Perry Martinez, Benefactor Fellow, was named as the recipient of the 2025 American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr. Award for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit. The award looks to recognize a lawyer or judge whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession and the rule of law.
She was present with the award at the Fifth Circuit Judicial Conference in May. Martinez previously served as an ABF State Chair and as a member of the ABF Board of Directors from 2016-2018. She also served as one of the panelists for the Fellows CLE in Denver, in conjunction with the ABA Annual Meeting.
She is currently Of Counsel at Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, but previously spent time at Northrop Grumman, where she served as assistant general counsel for litigation and eventually rose to Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer in 2011. Martinez has been very involved in the American Bar Association, as she was the President from 2019-2020 and chaired its Presidential Commission on the Future of Legal Services and was the YLD Chair. She also currently serves as the vice president of the World Justice Project, an international group that works to advance the rule of law around the world.
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