Born and raised in Charlottesville, Lewis A. Martin, III earned the distinction of being a “Triple Hoo,” meaning that he received three separate degrees—his undergraduate degree, masters degree, and law degree—from the University of Virginia. Graduating from law school in 1979, Mr. Martin began his practice as a Charlottesville real estate lawyer and Charlottesville estate administration lawyer by joining his father, a well-respected local attorney.
Mr. Martin focuses his legal practice in the areas of real property law and estate administration law. These broad areas cover issues such as commercial and residential real estate transactions and dealings, real estate disputes, like-kind and 1031 exchanges, and conservation easements. His years of experience provide insight and practical assistance for homeowners, investors, and business owners who are involved with advanced property conveyances and financing arrangements. Mr. Martin works closely with several real estate agents, all of whom have learned to entrust their clients to his perfectionism.
In addition to working as a real estate attorney, Mr. Martin also devotes a substantial portion of his practice to estate planning and estate administration. Mr. Martin is a strong believer that proper estate planning is the cornerstone to protecting one’s assets, especially to ensuring that assets are properly distributed according to the owner’s wishes. For that reason, Mr. Martin assists a number of his clients in preparing customized estate planning documents, including powers of attorney, special needs trusts, advanced medical directives, wills, and other long-term care planning documents.
Mr. Martin also helps families organize estates after the difficult passing of a family member or friend. As an estate administration attorney, Mr. Martin guides the personal representative of an estate through establishing and fulfilling the deceased’s wishes. If a will or trust was executed, Mr. Martin can help the family ensure that all specifications are met. If no such documents exist, Mr. Martin can assist the family in pursuing other available legal remedies to ensure the deceased’s belongings are handled appropriately and his or her wishes honored as best as possible.
Mr. Martin also serves as an Assistant Commissioner of Accounts for Albemarle County and extends this expertise into estate planning, estate administration, and probate administration issues.
Calling Central Virginia home for his entire life, Mr. Martin is heavily involved in community activities. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Bar Association, and he is currently the President-Elect of the Charlottesville Albemarle Bar Association. In addition, Mr. Martin is a long-time member of First Baptist Church in Charlottesville where he has served on Church Council and as leader of the deacon body.
Mr. Martin has been married to Carla Martin, a flight attendant, for over 30 years, and they have a son, Lewis Martin, IV. Mr. Martin enjoys hiking the many trails of Central Virginia and taking in the wonderful Blue Ridge scenery. In addition to his love for travel, Mr. Martin has taken on the challenge of discovering little known restaurants and exposing their greatness to the masses.
