Mr. Benigno (Trey) Martinez was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas. After completing high school at St. Joseph’s Academy in Brownsville, Texas, he had the good fortune of attending Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He received two majors – one in political science and one in psychology. He then returned to Texas to attend law school at the University of Texas in Austin. While in law school, he was elected class president. After graduation, he went on to be a law clerk for Judge Reynaldo G. Garza on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Upon completing his clerkship, he became an Assistant United States Attorney. At the age of 25 and one of the youngest prosecutors the United States Government had ever hired, he successfully tried a number of cases to juries. He left the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2000 and has since been in private practice doing what he loves best; arguing cases to juries, with his concentration on civil and white-collar criminal cases. He has been very successful in his practice and has now dedicated a lot of time to improve both the practice of law as well as defending the rights of those who cannot defend themselves. He serves on several statewide legal boards and is actively involved in the community. He has been humbled and honored to have received several awards reflecting his many professional and service-oriented accomplishments. He loves spending time with his kids in their various activities and cooking for his family.

• Cameron County Young Lawyers
  • President 2000-2001
  •  President-Elect 1999-2000
• Texas Young Lawyers Association
  • Board of Directors 2001- 2005
• State Bar of Texas – Litigation Section
  • Council Member 2005- 2010
• Texas Rural Legal Aid
  •  Board of Directors 2001-2002
• Appleseed
  • Board of Directors 2002-2008
• American Bar Association
  • Member
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Member
• American Trial Lawyers Association
  • Member
• State Bar College
  • Member 2002 – 2007
• The University of Texas at Brownsville / Texas Southmost College
  ▪ Development Board Member – 2010 – 2011
• St. Mary’s Catholic School Board
  • President 2007-2009; 2015 – Present
    ▪ Member 2005 – 2006; 2009 – 2014
    ▪ Vice-President 2006 – 2007

• American Academy of Trial Counsel
  ▪ Fellow 2006 – Present
• Brownsville Aquatics Swim Club
  •  President 2008 – 2009
• Texas Center of Legal Ethics and Professionalism
  • Board Member 2008 – 2011
• Diocesan Pastoral Council
  • Member 2010 – 2014
• Texas Lyceum
  • Director 2008 – 2011
• American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Member 2013 – Present
  • Secretary 2016 – Present
• Cristo Rey Jesuit Foundation
  • Board Member 2015 – Present
• Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston
  • Volunteer Teacher 2015 – Present
• Texas Ranger Association Foundation
  • Board Member 2015 – Present
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• Regional Dialogue
  • Expert on Civil Litigation and Criminal Defense 2017 – Present
• Jaime J. Zapata Foundation
  • Board President 2017 – Present
• Second Wind Initiative
  • Co-Founder 2018 – Present