Martin Hall - Boston, MA
Attorney at Hall & Diana LLC
Estate Planning Lawyers in Boston, MA
Prudential Tower, 27th Floor 800 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02199
Boston Estate Planning Lawyer
Updated: 03/02/2026
Areas of Practice
- Estate Planning
- Estate Settlement
- Charitable Planning
Attorney Information
Overview
Prior to forming Hall & Diana, Martin had a thirty-seven year career at Ropes & Gray LLP and was chair of its Private Client Group from 2006 – 2020 and co-chair with Brenda Diana from 2020 – 2023. Martin played a key role in the establishment of Ropes Wealth Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm first formed in 2014 to assist with the management of trust and other fiduciary accounts.
Over the years, Martin has maintained a broad-based legal practice that covers all aspects of estate and individual tax planning, including wealth transfer strategies and charitable giving techniques. His clients include public company executives, private business owners, and other high net worth individuals and families, both domestic and international. In addition, he has advised the development offices of universities and colleges with respect to planned giving, gift acceptance policies and the structuring of major gifts. Martin is a trustee of numerous private and charitable trusts and has assisted many client families through the estate settlement process.
Martin has co-authored two books on estate planning and charitable giving, has written articles and papers in these areas, and has been quoted on charitable tax matters in The Wall Street Journal. He is a frequent speaker at national conferences and seminars, including the Silicon Valley Foundation and Stanford University Office of Planned Giving, Conference on Charitable Giving. He chaired the New England Estate Planning Conference for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. from 2007-2012.
Martin is active in a number of professional bodies, including the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and the American Bar Association, and has held various leadership positions within these organizations. Prior to working in private legal practice, Martin was a Teaching Fellow and Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School.
In his free time, you can find Martin on his bicycle, walking with his family and dogs, or listening to WBUR.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Best Lawyers® Trusts and Estates, 2009 - 2023
- Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year - Trusts and Estates, 2020
- SuperLawyers®, Massachusetts, 2004 - 2023
- Chambers, Private Wealth Law Band 1 Massachusetts, 2016 – 2024
- Chambers, Private Wealth Law Band 3 USA- Nationwide Eastern Region, 2024
- Planned Giving Group of New England - David M. Donaldson Distinguished Service Award, 2020
Education
-
Legal Education
-
Boston University School of Law,
Boston,
Massachusetts
J.D. summa cum laude and first in class (1986)
-
Boston University School of Law,
Boston,
Massachusetts
-
Non Legal Education
-
University of Cambridge,
Trinity Hall, Cambridge,
United Kingdom
M.A. (Law) First Class - Honours (1981)
-
University of Cambridge,
Trinity Hall, Cambridge,
United Kingdom
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Partner
Pro Bono Activities
- Treasurer and Board Member, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 2016 - present
- Board Chair/Board Member, Ellis Memorial, 1995 - 2006
Published Works
Articles
-
Practical Guide to Estate Planning, Madoff, Tenney, Hall & Mingolla, Wolters Kluwer CCH Inc., 2001 - 2023
The Practical Guide of Estate Planning provcides an overview of estate planning and covers a wide variety of principles and tools for simple to complex. The guide contains an extensive, well annotated collection of forms and examples that appeal to -
Harvard Manual of the Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving, Harvard University Development Office, 2012
The Manual provides a thorough guide to federal tax laws as they relate to charitable giving. The Manual is geared to a broad audience of tax professionals and philanthropic advisors.
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts, 1986
Other Affiliations
- American College of Trust & Estate Counsel - 2002 - present
- American Bar Association, Tax Section - 1995 - present
- Boston Estate Planning Council - 2008 - present
- Private Client Global Elite - 2022 - present
- Professional Advisors Committee, Boston Foundation - Chair (1999 - 2007) and Founding Member
Contact
Prudential Tower, 27th Floor
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02199
Phone: 617-865-6040
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.halldiana.com
Disclaimer
Your Profile? Update Now
When viewing a listing, consider the state advertising restrictions to which lawyers and law firms must adhere, as well as our FindLaw.com Legal Directory disclaimer. Some lawyers publish comparative information regarding the services that they provide which may be subject to specific comparative communications restrictions.
How do I choose a lawyer?
Consider the following:
- Comfort Level – Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
- Credentials – How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
- Cost – How are the lawyer's fees structured — hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
- City – Is the lawyer's office conveniently located?
Not sure what questions to ask a lawyer?
Here are a few to get you started:
- How long have you been in practice?
- How many cases like mine have you handled?
- How often do you settle cases out of court?
- What are your fees and costs?
- What are the next steps?
Want to check lawyer discipline?
It is always a good idea to research your lawyer prior to hiring. Every state has a disciplinary organization that monitors attorneys, their licenses, and consumer complaints. By researching lawyer discipline you can:
- Ensure the attorney is currently licensed to practice in your state
- Gain an understanding of his or her historical disciplinary record, if any.
- Determine the seriousness of complaints/issues which could range from late bar fees to more serious issues requiring disciplinary action.