Ray Martin is an experienced attorney who has spent his career advising Tribes and Tribal governments on tribal governance and economic development issues. Prior to joining Drummond Woodsum, he served as General Counsel for the Karuk Tribe, Staff Attorney for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and Attorney General of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, where he advised tribal code writing, investigations, MOU and contract drafting and negotiations, gaming, land into trust, and treaty rights.

Ray’s clients know him for his empathetic, personable demeanor and his emphasis on preventative law — anticipating and heading off potential issues before they arise. Ray previously did two stints on Capitol Hill working for members of Congress in Washington D.C. as an advisor on federal Indian policy, gaming, water, natural resources, and labor issues; he now leverages that experience in his government affairs and lobbying practice.

A graduate of Columbia Law School, Ray also holds an LLM from the University of Amsterdam and a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a citizen of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and is also of Karuk descent. In 2024, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development honored Ray with a place on its prestigious Native American 40 Under 40 list.

When not practicing law, Ray is an avid world traveler. His journeys have included trips to New Zealand and Europe to visit Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones filming locations.