Carlos A. Martir, Jr., Esq.
Relentless Criminal Defense.
Decades of Experience.
Protecting your rights. Defending your freedom. Backed by more than 40 years of prosecutorial, trial, and military leadership. A former federal and state prosecutor and retired U.S. Army Major in the JAG Corps, Carlos A. Martir, Jr. provides strategic, trial-tested representation in serious federal and state criminal matters.
Former Federal Prosecutor · Former State Prosecutor · 40+ Years in Criminal Law · Retired U.S. Army Major
40+ Years
Criminal law experience
17 Years
Federal & state prosecutorial experience
24 Years
United States Army service
Federal + State
Serious criminal defense
Prosecutorial Experience
Defense Informed by Years Inside the Prosecution
Carlos Martir began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York, where he ultimately served as Chief of the District Attorney’s Gang Unit. He then spent twelve years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Philadelphia U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Seventeen years of prosecution shaped how he defends. He understands how charging decisions are made, how evidence is evaluated, how a theory of the case is constructed, how witnesses are prepared, and how negotiations are approached — because that was his work for nearly two decades. Clients receive defense strategy grounded in a realistic reading of what the government can and cannot prove.
Practice Areas
Serious Matters, Federal and State
Federal Criminal Defense
Complex federal investigations, indictments, trials, and related proceedings.
White-Collar & Financial Crimes
Securities fraud, financial crimes, health care fraud, insurance fraud, public corruption, and related allegations.
Violent Crimes & Major Felonies
Serious state and federal allegations, including homicide and other major felony matters.
Drug & Conspiracy Cases
Federal and state narcotics prosecutions, trafficking allegations, and conspiracy matters.
Appeals & Post-Conviction Matters
Federal and state appellate and post-conviction representation where appropriate.
Federal Practice
Federal criminal matters handled throughout the United States.
Military Service
A Career Defined by Service, Discipline, and Leadership
Carlos served 24 years in the United States Army through active duty and reserve service, retiring as a Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. His service included deployments to hostile environments and a year-long deployment to Bosnia in 1996 as part of the NATO peacekeeping mission.
Preparation
Cases are worked through in detail before they are argued.
Judgment
Knowing which fights matter and which do not.
Leadership
Command experience in a legal organization under pressure.
Composure
Steadiness when the stakes and the tempo are high.
Selected Career Timeline
Four Decades in Criminal Courtrooms
1998 — PRESENT
Law Offices of Carlos A. Martir, Jr.
Private criminal defense practice — Pennsylvania & New York
Private practice devoted to serious federal and state criminal defense, including federal matters throughout the United States.
1997 — 1998
Assistant Federal Defender
Defender Association of Philadelphia, Federal Division
Represented indigent defendants in federal criminal proceedings in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
1985 — 1997
Assistant United States Attorney
Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office — Philadelphia
Twelve years prosecuting federal criminal matters, from investigation through trial.
1979 — 1985
Assistant District Attorney
Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office — New York
Prosecuted state criminal matters and ultimately served as Chief of the District Attorney’s Gang Unit.
About
Carlos A. Martir, Jr., Esq.
Carlos A. Martir, Jr., Esq. has practiced criminal law for more than four decades, representing clients in serious federal and state criminal matters. His career spans state prosecution, federal prosecution, federal defense, private criminal defense, and military service as a U.S. Army JAG officer. Over that time, he has tried virtually every type of serious criminal case — from securities fraud to murder.
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- State of New York
- State of Pennsylvania
Education
Rutgers University School of Law
J.D., 1979
Herbert H. Lehman College, City University of New York
B.A. with Honors, 1976
Frequently Asked
Questions Clients Ask First
The practice is limited to criminal defense: federal investigations and prosecutions, white-collar and financial crime, serious violent offenses including homicide, drug and conspiracy matters, and appellate or post-conviction proceedings where appropriate.
Seventeen years of prosecution — first in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, later as an Assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia — means the same evidence, charging decisions, and negotiating postures a client now faces are familiar from the other side of the courtroom. That informs strategy and a realistic assessment of the government’s case.
As early as possible: after a subpoena, a search, a target letter, a request for an interview by an agent, an arrest, or any indication that you are under investigation. Decisions made before charges are filed often shape everything that follows.
Yes. Federal criminal matters are handled in federal courts throughout the United States, from offices in Pennsylvania and New York.
When the Stakes Are High, Experience Matters.
If you are facing a criminal investigation, indictment, arrest, or other serious federal or state criminal matter, contact the Law Offices of Carlos A. Martir, Jr. to discuss your situation confidentially.
Submitting a contact form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not send confidential or highly sensitive information until an attorney-client relationship has been established.