When people and businesses are facing an overwhelming legal issue, trying to navigate the often-murky waters of the law – any law – is a daunting proposition.  To get peace of mind, and get clear, direct answers from an experienced legal professional, people seek Julia Martin’s counsel for sound guidance, knowledgeable counsel, and the reassurance that someone is “in their corner.”

Julia advises clients on a broad range of tax and business matters, from planning and compliance, through the audit process, to controversy and litigation. Julia’s practice focuses on corporate income, franchise, gross receipts, sales and use, and personal income taxes.  Julia has significant experience advising individuals and businesses on New York State tax matters, having worked extensively on audits with the New York State Division of Taxation and Finance, as well as cases before the New York State Division of Tax Appeals, the New York State Tax Appeals Tribunal and the New York State Supreme Courts.

In particular, Julia focuses her practice on economic development tax credits such as New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP). Julia works with clients to understand the impact of the tax credits, analyzes project financial information and remedial alternatives to help clients seek the full allowable amount of available credits under applicable law, guides clients and their accountants through the process to claim the credits, and successfully navigates audits on those claims.

• Julia worked closely with a client to isolate costs eligible for a BCP tax credit worth nearly $21 million and guided the client through a year-long audit review that resulted in the client receiving the full amount of credit claimed, without a dollar of adjustment.
• Julia assisted with the negotiations of a settlement that granted the client nearly $3 million in additional tax credits and avoided the need to pursue more costly litigation.
• Julia prepared and submitted multiple requests for Advisory Opinions from the New York State Division of Taxation and Finance that obtained favorable results that informed the clients’ tax planning.

Julia’s experience also includes working with clients regarding retirement plans to ensure that they obtain or retain preferential tax treatment under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code.  She has also worked with employer-sponsored health and welfare plans on a number of issues, including those that arise from the Affordable Care Act, and has lectured on the effect of the ACA on employers.

Julia is a member of the New York State Bar Association Environmental Law Section and the NYSBA Brownfields Task Force and Social Media Task Force. Julia is also a member of the Central New York Women’s Bar Association and previously served as President and Treasurer of that group.  Julia serves on the Board of Trustees of Syracuse Stage and has worked on the Steering Committee for Syracuse Stage’s recently completed strategic plan.  She also volunteers with the Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County and as a coordinator for the Syracuse High School Theatre Awards.