W. Preston Martin

Preston Martin's practice focuses primarily on the defense of financial institutions (brokerage firms and banks) against claims asserted by their customers and former employees in court and arbitration proceedings across the United States. Preston also represents financial institutions, insurance companies, and related professionals in disputes arising from non-compete agreements, non-solicitation provisions, and other restrictive covenants. In addition, Preston has trust & estates practice, which includes both estate planning – drafting wills, trusts, and related documents – and probate and trust litigation, representing individuals, executors, trustees, and beneficiaries in disputes involving estates and trusts.

Here are a few types of matters common to Preston’s legal practice:

• Defend brokerage firms and financial advisors in securities arbitrations before FINRA
• Defend brokerage firms and banks in state and federal court actions
• Pursue expungement of customer complaints on behalf of financial advisors
• Defend brokerage firms in expungement arbitrations
• Represent brokerage firms, financial advisors, and insurance companies in disputes involving restrictive covenants (e.g., non-compete agreements and non-solicitation provisions)
• Prepare estate planning documents, such as wills, trusts, and powers of attorney
• Represent individuals, executors, trustees, and beneficiaries in probate or trust litigation
• Defend brokerage firms in probate or trust litigation

Admitted to practice law in both Alabama and Georgia, Preston’s recent achievements include: representing a brokerage firm in a FINRA arbitration in which the claimant sought more than $88 million in damages – following a multi-day hearing, the panel denied the claimant’s claims in their entirety, resulting in a complete defense win; obtaining expungement of customer dispute information from the CRD records of financial advisors in multiple FINRA arbitrations; representing a life insurance company in a court action against a former agent for violating his non-compete agreement, successfully obtaining a preliminary injunction barring the agent from soliciting the company’s policyholders; and obtaining summary judgment in the Northern District of Alabama on behalf of one of the nation's largest mortgage lenders and servicers.

Preston is also a member of Bressler's Senior and Vulnerable Investor Group. The lawyers in this group have a shared interest in providing counsel to corporate clients who confront issues affecting seniors and vulnerable investors.

Preston is committed to providing pro bono legal services as part of his regular practice. Preston previously served on the Board of Directors for Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (VLB), a nationally-recognized organization that provides free legal services to low-income Birmingham citizens. Preston served as President of VLB in 2024. Preston frequently volunteers through the VLB’s legal help desks, and he regularly accepts pro bono representations. Preston has helped pro bono clients probate wills, fight unlawful evictions, divorce an abusive spouse, and sue for the return of a security deposit. In 2016 and 2025, Bressler’s Birmingham office was honored by the VLB for its commitment to volunteering.

Preston received his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and his B.B.A. from the University of Georgia. While at the University of Georgia School of Law, Preston served as the articles editor for the Journal of Intellectual Property Law.

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Articles & Publications

Professional Affiliations

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Alabama Bar Association
• Member, Birmingham Bar Association
• Member, Georgia Bar Association

Awards & Honors

• Included in the list of the Best Lawyers in America^®, 2021-2027

• Selected to the list of the Mid-South Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" List, 2016 - 2018
• Recognized on the list of the Birmingham Business Journal's "Rising Star Lawyers," 2017

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