James W. Martin

James W. Martin is a Florida probate attorney in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, who has handled hundreds of probate, trust, and real estate cases and is Board Certified in real estate law by The Florida Bar.

James W. Martin attended Georgia Tech and Stetson University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Stetson University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Stetson University College of Law, where he has been an Adjunct Professor of Law for over 15 years. He has been inducted into the Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame. Stetson is nationally ranked #1 in Legal Writing and Trial Advocacy among all U.S. law schools by U.S. News and World Report.

James W. Martin maintains the highest level of ratings on Justia, Martindale-Hubbell, Lawyers.com, Avvo, and Super Lawyers. He served six years on The Florida Bar Probate Rules Committee and has chaired the Real Property Section and Probate Law Section of the St. Petersburg Bar Association.

James W. Martin is also a nationally published legal author, having written law books for West Publishing totaling over 5,000 pages of Florida legal forms, and numerous articles on Florida probate, wills, real estate, contracts, and business law for the American Law Institute, American Bar Association, and The Florida Bar Journal.

Top Ratings

Author of Law Books

Florida Real Estate Lease Agreements: A Collection of Forms for Lawyers (2022)
Florida Real Estate Sales Contracts: A Collection of Forms for Lawyers (2022)
How To Form a Florida LLC or Limited Liability Company: A Guide for Lawyers (2022)
How To Form a Florida Business Corporation: A Guide for Lawyers (2022)
How To Form a Florida Nonprofit Corporation: A Guide for Lawyers (2022)
West’s Legal Forms, Volume 29, Nonprofit Organizations
Florida Jurisprudence Forms, Legal & Business, Volumes 1 through 15 Supplements
West’s Florida Legal Forms, Volumes 1 and 2, Business Organizations
West’s Florida Legal Forms, Volumes 3 and 4, Real Estate Transactions
West’s Florida Legal Forms, Volumes 8 and 9, Specialized Forms
West’s Florida Corporations System

Awards

Stetson University College of Law – Hall of Fame
Stetson University College of Law – Ben C. Willard Award
The Florida Bar Journal – Writing Competition Award
Marquis Who’s Who in American Law and Lifetime Achievement Award

Professional Associations

Probate Rules Committee of The Florida Bar, former appointed member
Coordinating Committee on Technology of The Florida Bar, former chair
Probate Law Section of St. Petersburg Bar Association, former chair
Real Property Law Section of St. Petersburg Bar Association, former chair
Business Law Section of St. Petersburg Bar Association, former chair
American Bar Association American Law Institute The Practical Lawyer, former editorial board member

Education

Georgia Institute of Technology
Stetson University, Bachelor of Science B.S. in Mathematics
Stetson University College of Law, Juris Doctor J.D.

Author of Articles on Wills, Trusts, Estates, and Probate

Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate (With Forms), The Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education; The Florida Bar Journal
Do You Need Your Client’s Consent to Disclose Estate Planning Documents, The Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education; ActionLine, The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section
I Want to Sign an Electronic Will, The Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education
I Want to Probate a Will in Federal Court, The Florida Bar News
Is the Law of the Body a Body of Law?, The Florida Bar News

Author of Articles on Real Estate Law and Drafting Contracts

Tips for Handling the Complex Real Property Transaction (With Forms and Checklist), ALI CLE The Practical Real Estate Lawyer
Fifty Tips for Drafting Contracts (With Sample Provisions), The Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education
Drafting the Contract or Settlement Agreement That Stays Out of Court, ABA Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section The Brief and ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section The Best Articles
Fifty Tips for Writing the 21st Century Contract That Stays Out of Court, ALI-ABA The Practical Real Estate Lawyer and The Florida Bar Journal
How to Write Contracts and Other Documents as a Professional in a Mechanistic World, ALI-ABA The Practical Real Estate Lawyer and The Florida Bar News
Be Careful Using Form Real Estate Contracts, The Florida Bar News
How to Write Letters Nonlawyers Will Read, ALI-ABA The Practical Real Estate Lawyer and The Florida Bar News
Fifty Tips for Writing the Contract That Stays Out of Court, ALI-ABA The Practical Lawyer and The Florida Bar News

Speaker at Legal Seminars

Do You Need Your Client’s Consent to Disclose Estate Planning Documents, Sarasota Board Certified Group
Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate, St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate & Guardianship Section
Snakes in the Grass: Hidden Real Property Issues in Probate, St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property and Probate Sections
The Lawyer’s Conscience: Professionalism in Writing Contracts and Wills for a Mechanistic World, The Florida Bar Convention
Tips for Handling the Complex Real Property Transaction, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education; St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property Section
Drafting a Clear As-Is Agreement, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the As-Is Sale But Were Afraid to Ask, St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property Section
Writing the Contract that Stays Out of Court, The Florida Bar Convention
Drafting the Settlement Agreement That Stays Out of Court, Presidential Showcase Program, Litigating with Power and Professionalism, American Bar Association Tort & Insurance Practice Section, ABA Convention, Chicago
Drafting Settlement Agreements (That Stay Out of Court), The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section Construction Law Committee

Courts Admitted To Practice

Florida:
- All State Courts
Federal:
- U.S. District Court for Middle District of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals for 11th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court

Practice Areas

For Practice Areas, click here.

Questionnaire

If you want St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida attorney James W. Martin to consider taking your case, please fill out a Questionnaire here and email it to jim@jamesmartinpa.com

Updated August 9, 2026