Marty’s Bio

My legal career began as a legal services program attorney, followed by a private legal practice focusing on business, education, and civil rights litigation. During that time, I was also certified as a mediator, and after 23 years as a litigator I left private law to be engaged in alternative dispute resolution full time.   I've conducted more than 200 mediations and arbitrations, and taught Mediation as a law school adjunct professor for seven years.

I assumed that I would stay in the area of conflict resolution for the balance of my professional life (it turns out that healing conflict is more fun than promoting it, who could have guessed?), but I was drawn to an organization I had long admired, the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. The AVLF is a non-profit known for its ability to serve as an excellent and cooperative partner, one that always engaged the community in its best thinking, and for its enthusiastic support of its teams. I became AVLF’s Executive Director in 2000, and enjoyed growing with the organization over 20 wonderful years.

Working with our still small but rapidly growing non-profit was the best experience of my professional life. My colleagues and I faced many of the same difficult moments your team has faced, but throughout we stayed as true as possible to our organization’s mission. Solidly supporting our staff, volunteers, funders, and our Board of Directors and Leadership Council, we made certain that we engaged the community in our best thinking. And last year, we completed a very smooth transition to an outstanding, well prepared, and well regarded new Executive Director.

Most proudly, I am Wendy’s husband, Blair and Leah’s father, and Caleb’s grandfather. I am a resident of Atlanta, GA for more than 45 years.

I look forward to helping your group prepare for development and growth that will be central to your team’s ability to lift your organization to honor its promise.