Martín Montes

Director

​An accomplished lawyer and business leader for three decades, Martín Montes helps clients navigate the complex federal, state, and local legislative and regulatory landscape. He is known for his ability to cultivate long-standing relationships and for his extensive public and community engagement.

Martín focuses his government services practice at Barnes & Thornburg LLP on representing energy, utility, healthcare, education, and retail companies on various issues before the executive and legislative branches in Illinois. As more companies look to establish or expand their business operations in Chicago and throughout the state, Martín uses his corporate and economic development experience to assist clients in successfully accomplishing their goals. He will lead the firm’s Government Services and Finance Department team in Chicago.

Martín draws on 25 years of experience in a number of in-house roles, including as vice president and director of regulatory affairs with Commonwealth Edison and as associate general counsel with both Exelon Corporation and Walmart Stores, Inc., for his government and finance-related client work. Through those roles, he fostered operational excellence by leveraging multimillion-dollar budgets and guiding diverse teams across a vast project portfolio. For example, Martín developed and executed a clean, sustainable, renewable, and beneficial electrification energy management strategy for over 6,000 large commercial and industrial customers in northern Illinois to combat climate change.

A first-generation Mexican-American raised by his two immigrant parents, Martín is passionate about community outreach, services, and programming, as well as advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion within and beyond his legal practice.

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