Best Lawyers, the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named Steve Martens as the "Austin Best Lawyers Real Estate Lawyer of the Year" for 2010.

After more than a quarter of a century in publication, Best Lawyers is designating "Lawyers of the Year" in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the "Lawyer of the Year."

Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current, 16th edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2010) is based on more than 2.8 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

The lawyers being honored as "Lawyers of the Year" have received particularly high ratings in our surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

Steven Naifeh, Managing Editor of Best Lawyers, says, "We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one's peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the legal profession. We would like to congratulate Steve Martens on being selected as the 'Austin Best Lawyers Real Estate Lawyer of the Year' for 2010."

Mr. Martens regularly represents financial institutions involved in commercial real estate, construction, and land development financing transactions. He represents individuals and business entities in purchase and sale transactions involving commercial real estate and income producing properties, construction projects, and commercial leasing. Mr. Martens has significant experience as borrowers' counsel in construction and permanent financing transactions and as local counsel in multi-state loan transactions. He represents non-profit and business entities in health care business transactions. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Commercial Real Estate Law. Mr. Martens earned his B.B.A. degree, with honors, from the University of Texas and his J.D. degree from the University of Texas.