Michael Martinez Joins SCELP Upstate Office

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP) is proud to welcome Michael Martinez as its Greenville-based Staff Attorney, expanding the non-profit environmental law firm’s Upstate presence.

As Staff Attorney, Martinez will work with SCELP’s team on litigation and legal advocacy in state and federal courts and before state and federal administrative agencies, with a specific focus on the Upstate. The Upstate work includes partnering with other environmental groups and community-based organizations.

Martinez has lived in South Carolina since 2011, including the last four years in Greenville, where its proximity to mountains and forests affirmed his passion for the protection and preservation of our natural resources.

“I am thrilled to join the SCELP team and to contribute to its important work advocating for environmental justice, conservation of our State’s natural environment, and clean air and water,” Martinez said. “I’m passionate about these issues, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve my community and use my role as an attorney to make an impact.”

Martinez adds valuable courtroom experience to SCELP after working at the Greenville County Public Defender's Office over the last four years. He also previously served as a law clerk for Judge Aphrodite Konduros and as a staff attorney at the South Carolina Court of Appeals.

Martinez will also work closely with Michael Corley, who now serves as SCELP’s Special Counsel in conjunction with his role as Executive Director at the Conestee Foundation. Corley, who opened SCELP’s Upstate office in 2016, will continue to oversee an active docket of cases that include sound land use, protecting water quality and defending communities impacted by environmental degradation.

“We are thrilled to have Mike Martinez join our efforts to preserve and defend Upstate landscapes and resources. He brings valuable trial and appellate experience and is a fantastic addition to our already robust team. While we are sad to lose Michael Corley as a full-time legal advocate for the Upstate, we are very fortunate to have him remain as a special counsel to work with Mike and continue the momentum he has built over the past four years,” said SCELP Executive Director Amy Armstrong.

Corley added, “SCELP serves a critical and unique role for environmental protection in the Upstate, and I am excited for the next chapter of this organization’s service to the public.”

Media contacts:
Amy Armstrong, Esquire
South Carolina Environmental Law Project
[email protected], (843) 527-0078


Michael Martinez, Esquire
South Carolina Environmental Law Project
[email protected], (864) 412-7921

Posted: Jan 18, 2021 | Page link