Three decades on the bench. The youngest justice in North Carolina Supreme Court history. Now building a new law school of distinction as Founding Dean of the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law at High Point University.
About
Mark Dean Martin has devoted more than three decades to the law, serving at every level of the North Carolina court system before turning his focus to building the next generation of legal leaders. Appointed to the Superior Court in 1992, he rose to the Court of Appeals in 1994 and was elected to the Supreme Court in 1998 at the age of 35, becoming the youngest justice in the court's history.
As the 28th Chief Justice of North Carolina from 2014 to 2019, Martin led the landmark Raise the Age juvenile justice reform, convened the NC Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice, and established the statewide Pro Bono Resource Center. At the national level, he chaired the ABA Judicial Division and was appointed by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. to the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction.
Today, Martin serves as Founding Dean of the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law at High Point University, where he is building a law school from the ground up with a distinctive focus on professional identity, trial advocacy, and access to justice. The school welcomed its inaugural class in August 2024 and received ABA provisional approval.
Career
From the courtroom to the classroom, building institutions and reforming systems.
Superior Court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court. The only sitting judge to serve at all three levels.
The Raise the Age Act (2017), his highest legislative priority, ended NC's practice of prosecuting 16- and 17-year-olds as adults.
Taught at Duke, UNC, NC Central, Regent, and High Point University. Co-taught with Justice Alito for three consecutive years.
77,500 sq. ft. facility dedicated September 2025. 72 inaugural students, 100% internship placement, ABA provisionally approved.
"I've always been a builder."Chief Justice Mark D. Martin, Attorney at Law Magazine
Press & Writing
Selected articles, features, and public writing.
Op-ed on preserving jury trials as a cornerstone of democratic governance
Op-EdBuilding dedication, student outcomes, and NCBA collaboration
FeatureComprehensive profile on building a law school from the ground up
FeatureVideo interview on legal education, judicial reform, and HPU Law's vision
Feature on the career and vision behind HPU Law
FeatureContact
For speaking engagements, media inquiries, or professional correspondence.