Alumni Association Executive Committee 2008–2009
Mario J. Martinez
Term: 2007 — 2010
Mario J. Martinez has been a practicing attorney in El Paso since 1973. Previously, he was a United States Magistrate (1971-1973), a United States Commissioner (1967-1971), and Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas (1965-1967). He was licensed by the Supreme Court, State of Texas, to practice law in 1963. He is admitted to the United States Court of Claims; the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Court for the Western District of Texas. He is also licensed in the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Martinez received his L.L.B. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1963. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Western College; he was also trained at the U.S. Army Missile and Field Artillery School at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.
Mr. Martinez’s professional affiliations include the State Bar of Texas (1963-2005); State Bar of Texas Insurance Trust, Trustee (2001-2004), Chair (2003-2004); State Bar of Texas, Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee (2001-2006); James Watson Inn., State Bar of Texas (1991-2006); Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow (1989-2008); El Paso Bar Association (1963-2008), Director (1974-1976), Ethics Committee (1963-1970), Membership Committee Chair (1977-1978);Texas Trial Lawyers Association (1975-1996); American Trial Lawyers Association (1976-1996);Texas Bar Foundation, Advisor Director (1994-1996); State Bar of Texas, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Standing Committee (1993-1996); State Bar of Texas 17A Grievance Committee (1974-1986, 1992-1994), Chair (1980-1982, 1992-1995); State Bar of Texas, Director (1989-1991); Mexican-American Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Director (1975-1980); American Bar Association (1964-1980); Mexican American Bar Association of El Paso, Director (1979-1980); American Arbitration Association, Arbitrator (1979-1980);American Judicature Society (1967-1973); Federal Bar Association (1975-1980); National Association of United States Commissioners (1967-1971); and National Council of United States Magistrates (1971-1973).
He has been honored by the State Bar of Texas with a Presidential Citation (1990), and with a Citation as Outstanding Chairperson, Grievance Committee (1995). Mr. Martinez was recognized in the first edition of Who’s Who in American Law in 1977. He was a distinguished military student and graduate of Texas Western College in 1957.
Mr. Martinez is involved in a wide variety of civic organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of El Paso (1970-2004); Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso, Director (2000-2002); El Paso County Civil Service Commission, Chair (1993-1996); The University of Texas School of Law Alumni Association, Director (1989-1990); National Council of Christians and Jews; Campfire Girls of El Paso, Founding Director; Matrix Society (The University of Texas at El Paso Alumni Association); Cerebral Palsy of El Paso, Inc., Director; Catholic Counseling Service, President and Director; Civil Service Commission, City of El Paso (1977-1980); and Jaycees of El Paso (1963-1967).
He has been married to Mabel Martinez since 1958.