Bingham ConsultingRalph C. Martin II
Bingham McCutchen, Partner
Bingham Consulting Group, Managing Principal
- T 617.951.8844
- F 617.951.8736
- Boston
Ralph Martin is managing partner of the Boston office of Bingham McCutchen LLP and 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 has more than 20 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. At Bingham Consulting, he assists clients when their business plans intersect with governmental and regulatory agencies. Bingham Consulting helps clients design and execute multi-state political strategies to complement their business mission.
- Some of Ralph's present and past legal engagements include:
- Member of defense team representing principals of Suffolk County Sheriff's Department in a two-year long federal investigation that ended with the dissolution of the grand jury and no indictments.
- 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 $42M NASD 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 $600M 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 of 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 McCutchen, 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 and Republican 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 McCutchen, Ralph is the chair of the firm's Diversity Task Force, 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 and 2006, Fortune magazine rated Bingham McCutchen as one of the 100 best companies to work for; in 2006 and 2003, The American Lawyer selected Bingham McCutchen 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 2006, the Boston office has been recognized as one of Boston's "50 Best Places to Work in Boston," and in 2004-2006, the Northern California offices were ranked on the list of the "50 Best Places to Work in the Bay Area."
- Chairman, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (2006-present); Director and Vice Chair, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (2002 - 2006)
- Director, BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts, Chair-Governance Committee (2006 - present); Member-Finance & Business Performance Committee
- Chairman, Judicial Nominating Committee (2003 - 2005)
- Member of 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), American Bar Association
- Trustee, Boston Children’s Hospital (1994 - 2004)
- Director, The Partnership (1999 - present); Chair (2001-2004)
- Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member, Boston Bar Association
- Life Member, Massachusetts Black Lawyers’ Association
- Member, National Bar Association
- Presenter, Law Education Institute 2006 Criminal Law Program, "Attorney-Client Privilege: Cutting Edge Issues" (1/06)
- Panel Member, Solomon McCown & Co. "I'm Sorry: How and When a Corporate Apology Can Be Helpful" (10/05)
- Keynote Speaker, Financial Executives Institute, "The Management of Sarbanes-Oxley Within Your Organization" (3/03)
- Presenter, Technology Capital Network, "Rules of Engagement for the Early-Stage Entrepreneur & Investor (2/03)
- Presenter of Remarks Titled "Why Avoiding Regulators Is Good For The Bottom Line" at Training Session for Top 100 Senior Credit Managers of Major Financial Institution. (11/02)
- Speaker, Executive Enterprise Institute, "Managing Officer and Director Risk Post-Enron and After Sarbanes-Oxley: The Imperative for Thorough Investigations" (9/24/02)
- One of five panelists participating in a panel discussion on post-Enron corporate governance and compliance issues to the New England Corporate Council Association. NECCA is composed of counsel from public and private Boston-area companies. (6/5/02)
- One of four panelists participating in a panel discussion of post-Enron corporate governance issues sponsored by Bingham Dana and insurer William Gallagher Associates (WGA). (6/18/02)
- Served as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Legal Studies at Brandeis University (2000-2001)
- Served as a lecturer of Civil Trial Practice at Northeastern University School of Law (1987-1992)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyer, Boston magazine, 2005 and 2006
- 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" (January 2002)
- National Black Prosecutors’ Association President’s Award of Excellence (August 2000)
- Anti-Defamation League’s Civil Rights Award (June 1998)
- Northeastern University Alumni Association’s Outstanding Alumni Award in Public Service (1997)
- Brandeis University Alumni Achievement Award (October 1996)
- Admitted to practice in Massachusetts
- First Circuit Court of Appeals
- Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- Northeastern University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1978
- Brandeis University, Bachelor of Arts, 1974
