Jacqueline B. Martinez, founder of Pittsburgh’s JBM Legal LLC, Pittsburgh, is serving her first year of a three-year term as PBA secretary.
Martinez has held numerous leadership roles within the PBA.
She is currently vice chair of the PBA Bylaws Committee, which proposes changes in the association’s bylaws and reviews comments suggested by other PBA entities. Martinez also is a current co-vice chair of the PBA Immigration Law Committee and served as its co-chair from 2015 to 2017.
From 2017 to 2019, Martinez served chair of the PBA Membership Development Committee, which develops and implements programs and services enhancing the value of membership in the association.
Since 2014, Martinez has served on the council of the PBA Solo and Small Firm Section.
A long-time member of the PBA Minority Bar Committee, Martinez is the committee’s 2017-18 representative to the PBA Nominating Committee. She has previously served as co-chair and co-vice chair of the committee’s executive council. She also has served on the Minority Bar Committee’s membership, newsletter, minority attorney conference, welcoming, community outreach and skills bank subcommittees. She has been a featured speaker and moderator at the PBA Minority Attorney Conference.
Martinez is a member and former chair of the PBA Diversity Team, a member of the PBA Commission on Women in the Profession and the PBA Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. In addition, Martinez has served on the PBA Law-Related Education Committee and the PBA Legal Services to the Public Committee.
Also active in the organized bar at the local level, Martinez is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA). She served on its Board of Governors and previously served as an education committee chair and council member for the ACBA Young Lawyers Division and as a council member for the ACBA Solo and Small Firm Committee.
Martinez served as chair of the Hispanic Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania. She also has served as chair of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and on the AILA National Board of Governors in 2005-2006. She served on a variety of AILA national committees and continues to be active with the Pittsburgh chapter.
Martinez served on the American Civil Liberties Union Board of Directors, Pittsburgh Chapter, and as a member of its legal, public education and diversity committees.
Martinez was a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer for three years and serves on the CASA Board.
She is a graduate of Cornell University and the Arizona State University College of Law.