SANDY, UT, September 18, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Kara K.T. Martin with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mrs. Martin celebrates many years' experience in her professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Martin has established herself as a leading authority in franchise law, currently serving as an attorney and partner at The Franchise & Business Law Group, LLC, since 2015. With a decade of dedicated service to the firm and nearly 20 years of experience in the legal profession, she is recognized for her expertise, with a particular focus on emerging brands and startups on the franchisor side. Ms. Martin's responsibilities include preparing regulatory documents and contracts between franchisors and franchisees, and preparing federal trademark filings, and negotiating and drafting contracts for her clients.

Before her current role, Ms. Martin was an attorney at Thompson Ostler & Olsen from 2009 to 2014, where she excelled in franchise, distribution, trademark, and copyright law. Her earlier experience included an internship at Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai (now Sloan Sakai Yeung & Wong LLP) in 2008, which provided her with valuable exposure to public sector legal work.

Ms. Martin's professional journey began with roles outside the legal field, including serving as a substitute teacher for the Granite School District in Salt Lake County, Utah, in 2005. From 2001 to 2005, she worked as a council aide for the Salt Lake County Council, gaining firsthand experience in government operations and policy development, and from 2005 to 2006 she served as the Director of Advocacy for the Utah chapter of the American Heart Association, Inc. handling their local lobbying and grassroots efforts.

Highly educated, Ms. Martin's undergraduate studies culminated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City in 2000. She also received a Master of Arts in government and political management from Regent University in Virginia Beach in 2005 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Golden Gate University in San Francisco in 2009, where she distinguished herself academically and received multiple awards for excellence. Ms. Martin was admitted to practice by the Utah Bar Association in 2009, and by the Kansas Bar Association in 2016.

Ms. Martin is actively involved in several professional organizations, reflecting her commitment to advancing the legal field. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Forum on Franchising of the American Bar Association, the Utah State Bar, the Utah State Bar Franchise Section, and a former member of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Martin has made significant contributions to civic organizations and community initiatives, and has volunteered with various organizations, including the Global Volunteer Network. Among other endeavors, Ms. Martin was a volunteer defense attorney at the Third District Juvenile Court under the Judicial Branch of Utah, provided pro bono service as a court-appointed juvenile defender, and acted as a volunteer judge for the Utah Mock Trial through Utah Law Related Education. As a talented writer, Ms. Martin's professional contributions have been published in publications such as Lawyer Monthly Magazine, Franchise Lawyer and Utah Business Magazine.

Throughout her career, Ms. Martin has been recognized for her achievements and leadership. Most recently she was selected by her peers for inclusion in the 32nd edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for her expertise in Franchise Law, and named 2026 Lawyer of the Year for Franchise Law by Best Lawyers. She received the Excellence in Civil Litigation Award from Golden Gate University in 2009 and was named Attorney of the Year by Corporate Vision in 2017. Apart from these honors, Ms. Martin is most proud of witnessing her clients' success, supporting them from the sale of their first franchise unit through their growth to 100 or more units. She finds it deeply rewarding to help clients navigate complex regulatory fields and be part of their entrepreneurial journeys.

Ms. Martin's path into franchise law was influenced by her upbringing and family environment. Raised as one of eight children in Salt Lake City, Utah, she credits her parents for instilling in her the values of equality, independence and high expectations, regardless of gender or traditional roles. Equally inspired by her father, one of Utah's first franchise attorneys, Ms. Martin was exposed to franchising as a unique area of law. At age 30, she decided to change careers, then later took over ownership in her law firm while starting a family. Initially aspiring to be a litigator, an internship at her father's firm revealed her passion for franchising and working with emerging brands.

Eager for the future, Ms. Martin is committed to setting a continuous example through her dedication to client success, professional excellence and community engagement, while balancing her family life. Her goal is to leverage artificial intelligence technology to reduce costs for clients, especially startups, by developing platforms that lower entry barriers into franchising while maintaining high-quality legal services.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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