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, and is one of the leaders of Simpson Thacher’s Anti-Discrimination Litigation and Advisory Practice. He is recognized by Chambers USA as a leader in the White Collar and Government Investigations field and by Lawdragon as among the “500 Leading Litigators in America.” 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 been appointed to the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Southern District of New York, where he represents indigent criminal defendants charged with federal criminal offenses. He 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’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
- The Board of Directors of PG&E Corporation in securities and derivative litigation arising out of wildfires in Northern California
- Global financial institution in a multi-regulator investigation related to the potential offering of unregistered securities
- Global financial institution in arbitration concerning a contractual dispute involving the solar energy industry
- 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
- A subsidiary of a global provider of insurance products in high exposure bad faith litigation
- A multinational food processing company in connection with NYAG investigative subpoena regarding meat product price gouging
- 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 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
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Construction company project manager immunized for SDNY testimony against former company president in bribery and fraud case
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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: Honest services fraud trial involving a union executive and a hedge fund founder
- United States v. 650 Fifth Avenue and Related Properties: Civil asset forfeiture trial that was the largest in the history of the Department of Justice, and a critical part of the decade-long litigation of the forfeiture of a skyscraper owned by 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 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 is also serving on the White Collar Editorial Advisory Board for Law360.
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 Board of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden as well as the boards of the Office of the Appellate Defender, the Harvard Law School Association of New York City and the Brooklyn Debate League.