A former federal prosecutor and accomplished trial lawyer, Martin S. Bell represents companies, boards and executives in government and internal investigations and high-profile disputes. He is recognized by Chambers USA for the past few years as a leader in the White Collar and Government Investigations field and by Lawdragon as among the “500 Leading Litigators in America.” Clients have described him in Chambers as “an excellent representative with government players.” Prior to joining the Firm, Martin served for over ten years in the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. There, he tried fourteen cases before juries and led dozens of investigations as a senior member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, the Public Corruption Unit, and the Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Unit. As a federal prosecutor, Martin investigated and prosecuted some of the Southern District’s most significant and high-profile cases across an array of subject matters, including securities, accounting, and other financial fraud, bribery, obstruction of justice, money laundering, sanctions violations, criminal civil rights violations, and various offenses giving rise to civil and criminal asset forfeiture.
A seasoned trial lawyer, Martin has had experience at trial at all “four tables” – as a decorated federal prosecutor, as a civil plaintiff’s attorney (including in the largest civil forfeiture trial in the Department of Justice’s history), as a criminal defense attorney (including in the Southern District of New York where he holds an appointment to the Criminal Justice Act Panel), and representing defendant companies at trial in high-stakes matters. Martin has also been appointed to the Attorney Grievance Committee of the First Judicial Department, which investigates complaints filed against lawyers in Manhattan and the Bronx. Martin is also one of the leaders of Simpson Thacher’s Anti-Discrimination Litigation and Advisory Practice.
Martin’s representative experience while at Simpson Thacher includes:
Companies and organizations:
- Commercial bank’s successor and acquiring entities in multiple federal and state enforcement and regulatory inquiries
- Major financial institution in criminal investigation involving possible PPP loan fraud by bank employees
- Global financial institution and private equity firm in confidential arbitration
- A subsidiary of a global provider of insurance products in high exposure bad faith litigation
- Publicly traded company in an internal inquiry regarding trading of the company’s stock by high-level employees
- Global financial institution in a multi-regulator investigation related to the potential offering of unregistered securities
- A leading digital financial services company and online bank in winning second complete dismissal of “data exposure” class action in SDNY; and, separately, in a putative class action in the Northern District of California
- Major environmental nonprofit in connection with Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) issues
- A leading New York City nonprofit organization in connection with accusations of racially-motivated misconduct by volunteer leaders
Individuals:
- President and founder of a boutique pharmaceutical company accused of wire fraud in connection with the solicitation of investments at trial in the Southern District of New York
- President and CEO of publicly traded company in internal investigation concerning an outside vendor contract
- President of institute of higher learning in internal investigation concerning alleged administrative misconduct
- Campaign Finance Chair for a candidate for statewide office in SDNY investigation involving alleged campaign finance misconduct
- Prominent high-end trading card collector accused of wire fraud in connection with the sale of millions of dollars in collectibles at trial in the Southern District of New York
- Construction company project manager immunized for SDNY testimony against former company president in bribery and fraud case
- Pro bono client alleged to be recidivist fraudster in dismissal of SDNY criminal charges
Martin previously served as lead counsel on behalf of the United States in fourteen jury trials as an AUSA, and argued before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals on nine occasions. His select trial experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes:
- United States v. Norman Seabrook and Murray Huberfeld: Bribery conspiracy trial involving a union executive and a hedge fund founder
- United States v. 650 Fifth Avenue and Related Properties: Largest civil asset forfeiture trial in the history of the Department of Justice, and a critical part of the nearly two decades-long litigation of the forfeiture of a skyscraper owned by two Iranian government fronts in violation of U.S. sanctions
- United States v. Jeremy Reichberg: Bribery trial of a community leader who orchestrated a years-long police bribery conspiracy involving executive-level NYPD officials
- United States v. James Moore: Fraud trial of a participant in a $40 million investment scheme involving misrepresentations to investors in a workspace-share company
- United States v. Albert Baldeo: Trial of elected Queens political party official who obstructed the FBI’s investigation into his campaign finance practices
- United States v. Brian Coll: Trial of a Rikers Island corrections officer convicted of causing the wrongful death of an inmate
In addition to his experience at trial, Martin was a member of the team that secured the multibillion-dollar resolution of a sanctions case against the world’s sixth-largest bank in U.S. v. BNP Paribas, S.A., and led criminal and civil proceedings against a smuggler of Mongolian dinosaur fossils. He was honored with several awards for his service, including the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Prosecutor of the Year Award in 2018 and the Assistant Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award in 2016. Martin was also recently named a “Rising Star” by the New York Law Journal and profiled among Savoy Magazine’s “2024 Most Influential Lawyers,” City & State New York’s “The 2024 Power of Diversity: Black 100” list and Crain’s New York Business’ “Notable Black Leaders.”
Martin frequently speaks on subjects relating to white collar crime and served for several years as an Adjunct Professor at New York Law School, where he taught a lecture course on organized and white collar crime. He has also served on the White Collar Editorial Advisory Board for Law360, and has provided legal analysis to The New York Times and its sports vertical, The Athletic, and been featured in the award-winning podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out.
Prior to joining the Southern District, Martin practiced at another international law firm and was a law clerk to the Hon. Eric N. Vitaliano of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He delivered the Graduate Oration at Harvard University’s 355th Commencement Exercises upon his graduation from Harvard Law School and received his B.A., cum laude, from Harvard University. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Martin currently serves on the Executive Board of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden as well as on the boards of Saint Ann’s School, the Office of the Appellate Defender, the Harvard Law School Association of New York City and the Brooklyn Debate League.