MONICA R. MARTINEZ received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Houston in 1997. She subsequently attended St. Mary's School of Law where she received her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2001. During her tenure at St. Mary's School of Law, she served as Comment Editor of the Law Review and participated in a comparative law curriculum through the University of Miami School of Law's study abroad program in Spain.

Following her admission to the State Bar of Texas in 2002, Ms. Martinez began her legal career with a Houston, Texas law firm where her practice of law included workers' compensation and personal injury litigation. Ms. Martinez broadened her practice to include insurance defense, insurance subrogation, insurance "bad faith," and premise liability. Ms. Martinez' practice has also included the representation of financial institutions in bankruptcy matters. She maintains an active practice in Texas state district courts and at all the Texas field offices of the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation.

Ms. Martinez is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and in the United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern Districts of Texas.

Ms. Martinez's e-mail address is mmartinez@smithcarr.com.