Joseph F. Martinez

Mr. Martinez is an experienced trial attorney who is driven by the philosophy that everyone deserves equal justice under law.   

Mr. Martinez is a Tampa native and son of a Cuban immigrant father and Sicilian American mother.  He believes in commitment to hard work and setting high goals.  Mr. Martinez manufactured furniture in a warehouse for his family’s business while he attended Tampa Catholic High School and his freshman year at the University of South Florida, in Tampa.  He was the first in his family to attend college and graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science with honors in 1996 and the University of Florida, College of Law in the top third of his class in 2000.  

Mr. Martinez was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001.  He is licensed to practice in all Florida state courts and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.  Mr. Martinez is a member of the Florida Bar, Hillsborough County Bar Association, Tampa Bay Hispanic Bar Association, Florida Justice Association, South Tampa Cmber of Comerce, WestTampa Cahmber of Comerce,  Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago and the Education Foundation of the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago.

Mr. Martinez started his career in 2000 as a trial attorney for the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, fighting for the rights of indigent clients.  He represented juvenile and adults facing up to life in prison for criminal offenses including DUI, DWLS, domestic violence, aggravated battery, kidnapping, grand theft, violation of probation, drug trafficking, robbery, burglary and homicide.  Mr. Martinez gained invaluable courtroom and trial experience while defending cases against the State Attorney’s Office and unwarranted searches and seizures by the police before leaving as a lead trial attorney in Felony Circuit Court. 

Mr. Martinez started his own law practice in 2003.  He expanded his Tampa criminal defense practice to representing the accused in Federal court he was admitted to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, in 2003.  Over the next ten years, Mr. Martinez developed a successful trial and litigation practice.  He has tried over a hundred cases in the State and Federal Courts.  Mr. Martinez continues to fight for the rights of the greater Tampa Bay area community in personal injury, auto injury, car accidents, trucking accident, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, asset protection and estate planning.