Ralph Martin is the managing partner of Bingham’s 260-lawyer Boston office as well as managing principal of Bingham Consulting Group. He is the former Suffolk County district attorney, having served as the elected prosecutor for Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop from 1992–2002. During his nearly 10 years in office, he oversaw a $15 million budget and an office of 300 people, including 135 prosecutors. Ralph is a former Chairman of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the region’s leading business advocacy group.
Ralph has more than 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer and state and federal prosecutor. He practices in the areas of corporate investigations, white collar defense and general civil litigation. Bingham Consulting advises clients who are challenged by the legal, public policy and other complexities of multi-state investigations by Attorneys General.
Some of Ralph’s present and past legal engagements include:
- One of two lead counsel representing a software company that was the subject of criminal, civil and administrative investigations of practices associated with a governmental RFP process; no indictments were issued against the company
- Principal member of legal team representing wine distributor in negotiations with state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission over its enforcement of tiered regulatory system
- Lead counsel chairing and advising faculty committee of world class university in its review of campus community policing planning and implementation
- Lead counsel advising committee of New England college investigating allegations of racial bias made against campus security
- Principal member of defense team representing principals of sheriff’s department in a two-year long federal investigation that ended with the dissolution of the grand jury and no indictments
- Principal member of defense team in an 18-month attorney general investigation of two Massachusetts corporations and several individuals accused of alleged pension fraud abuses; the investigation was concluded after one corporate subject pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failure to keep proper records
- Lead defense counsel for a major financial services institution defending a $42 million NASD (now FINRA) securities arbitration claim brought by two former broker-dealers; after a four-week arbitration, the claim was denied in its entirety
- One of two counsel representing a major public authority in connection with a $600 million air rights development project
- Representation of a world-class research institution in connection with an internal investigation and assessment of its compliance with federal requirements
In May 2006, Ralph was elected to a two-year term as chairman of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is a broad-based association representing more than 1,700 businesses of all sizes from virtually every industry and profession in the region; it provides leadership in creating a healthy climate for economic development and job creation. Most recently, the Chamber has played key roles in the passage of legislation promoting stem-cell research in Massachusetts and landmark healthcare reform.
Before joining Bingham, Ralph was appointed district attorney of Suffolk County in 1992. He won election to the office in 1994 by a margin of almost 20 percent, and ran unopposed in 1998. He is the first African-American district attorney in Suffolk County’s history. He was recognized for his leadership by former President Bill Clinton and former Attorney General Janet Reno and has traveled across the country to both lecture and consult on the business and strategy of managing and reducing crime.
At Bingham, Ralph is co-chair of the firm’s national Diversity Committee, an ongoing effort to build on Bingham’s recognized strengths in the areas of recruitment, retention and advancement of lawyers from diverse backgrounds. In 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, Fortune magazine rated Bingham as one of the 100 best companies to work for; in 2006 and 2003, the American Lawyer selected Bingham as one of the top 20 firms on their “A-List of True First-Tier” law firms, based on diversity, pro bono work, associate satisfaction and revenue. From 2003 through 2009, the Boston office has been recognized as one of Boston’s “Best Places to Work.”
Ralph served as an adjunct associate professor of legal studies at Brandeis University in 2000 and 2001, and as a lecturer on civil trial practice at Northeastern University School of Law from 1987 to 1992.
- Panelist, Conducting Corporate Investigations — The Use of Lawful and Ethical Strategies, 2009 American Corporate Counsel Association’s Annual Meeting, Boston, Mass. (October 2009)
- Presenter, Attorney-Client Privilege: Cutting-Edge Issues, Law Education Institute 2006 Criminal Law Program (January 2006)
- Panel member, I’m Sorry: How and When a Corporate Apology Can Be Helpful, Solomon McCown & Co. (October 2005)
- Keynote speaker, The Management of Sarbanes-Oxley Within Your Organization, Financial Executives Institute (March 2003)
- Presenter, Rules of Engagement for the Early-Stage Entrepreneur & Investor, Technology Capital Network (February 2003)
- Presenter, Why Avoiding Regulators is Good for the Bottom Line, training session for top 100 senior credit managers of major financial institution (November 2002)
- Speaker, Managing Officer and Director Risk Post-Enron and After Sarbanes-Oxley: The Imperative for Thorough Investigations, Executive Enterprise Institute (September 2002)
- Panelist, Post-Enron Corporate Governance and Compliance Issues, New England Corporate Council Association (June 2002)
- Panelist, Post-Enron Corporate Governance Issues, Bingham Dana and William Gallagher Associates (June 2002)
- Leading lawyer in white collar criminal defense, The Best Lawyers in America (2010)
- Named in “The Power List” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2009)
- Selected as “Diversity Hero” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2009)
- Selected as one of the 35 most influential judges and lawyers of the past 35 years by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2007)
- Super Lawyers, Massachusetts (2004–2009)
- Recipient of Honorary Doctorates from Northeastern University (2003) and the New England School of Law (1994)
- Recipient of Massachusetts Bar Association’s Pro Bono Award for “Prosecutor of the Year” (2002)
- National Black Prosecutors’ Association President’s Award of Excellence (2000)
- Anti-Defamation League’s Civil Rights Award (1998)
- Northeastern University Alumni Association’s Outstanding Alumni Award in Public Service (1997)
- Brandeis University Alumni Achievement Award (1996)
- Advisory Committee to U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy on judicial and federal appointments (2009–present)
- Director, BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts; vice chair, Human Resources Committee (2009–present); member, Audit Committee (2009–present); chair, Governance Committee (2006–2009); member, Finance & Business Performance Committee (2007–2009)
- Chairman, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (2006–2008); director and vice chair, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (2002–2006)
- Chairman, Judicial Nominating Committee (2003–2005)
- Supreme Judicial Court’s Visiting Committee on Management in the Courts (2002–2004)
- ABA Presidential appointee – Special Committee on the Future of ALI-ABA (2004–2005); past chair, Criminal Justice Section Council (1999–2001), and delegate to House of Delegates (1998–2000)
- Trustee, Boston Children’s Hospital (2009–present), (1994–2002)
- Chair, The Partnership (2001–2004); director (1999–2005)
- Boston Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Life Member, Massachusetts Black Lawyers’ Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Admitted to practice in Massachusetts and New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- Northeastern University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1978
- Brandeis University, Bachelor of Arts, 1974