
Luis Martinez, grew up in Bishop, Texas, home of the Battling Badgers. He graduated
from the University of Texas, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Government
and History. To this day, his Badger Pride has not died and he still bleeds burnt orange.
Luis earned a law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law. While at Tech Law,
Luis was a member of the Board of Barristers, an organization for the most successful
students in the law school’s advocacy competitions. Outside of the classroom, Luis
interned in Southern New Mexico for two summers advocating for migrant farm workers, helping them recover fair wages and with the Federal Public Defender’s Office.
His legal education and the formative experiences he had outside of school cemented a
deep commitment to justice and fairness. That commitment became the cornerstone of
his legal career. After obtaining his law degree, Luis moved to Victoria, Texas, to practice law with a local civil litigation firm. He eventually started his own solo practice in Victoria where he could practice the kind of law he intended from the beginning—criminal defense. For almost twenty years, Luis represented juveniles and adults in Victoria and the surrounding counties. He represented people facing criminal charges, from simple
offenses to the most serious. He eventually expanded his practice to the state’s
appellate courts. Luis built a reputation for his expertise in appellate law, successfully
arguing multiple cases before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest court for
all criminal cases in Texas. His dedication to providing thorough and principled
representation, regardless of his client’s means, was a hallmark of his practice. The
majority of the cases he argued before the Court of Criminal Appeals were for clients
that a court appointed him to represent.
Following a lengthy tenure in private practice, Luis brought his appellate expertise to the
Victoria County District Attorney's Office where he represented Victoria County in
virtually every case before the jurisdiction’s appellate court. In addition to his appellate
responsibilities, Luis provided support for the trial attorneys in all divisions with his
research, his advice, and by participating in criminal trials when it was asked of him.
Luis also embraced the opportunity to learn new areas of law that he had not already
practiced before, expanding his base of knowledge to include more specific post-
conviction matters, expunctions, non-disclosures and the Texas Public Information Act.
Luis’ experience in juvenile courts, trial courts and appellate courts, for both the defense
and prosecution, gives him a balanced and well-rounded perspective on the juvenile
justice system and adult criminal justice system. His career reflects a steadfast
dedication to upholding justice, advocating for fair outcomes, and making high-quality
legal representation available to all Texans.
Today, Luis is proud to assume the role of Assistant Chief Defender for the Crossroads
Defenders and also handle the appellate matters assigned to the office. As he has
done throughout his career, Luis brings to the Crossroads Defenders his passion for
sharing his experience, knowledge of the law and advocacy skills with other lawyers. It
is his sincere desire to inspire and support the next generation of criminal defense
lawyers.