Bio of facilitators

Hon. Edwina Frances Martin, Esq. Brief Biography:

Edwina Frances Martin, Esq., is a public interest lawyer experienced in Public Policy, Government Relations, Non-Profit Management, and Strategic Communications. She is the Public Administrator of Richmond County, responsible for the administration of estates of persons that have left no will, and where there are no qualified person(s) to administer the decedent’s estate.

Prior to her appointment as Commissioner and Public Administrator of Richmond County, Ms. Martin served as Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff for NYC Councilwoman Debi Rose (49th District); Director of Government Relations, Communications and Pro Bono for Legal Services NYC; and litigation associate with the law firms of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Van Lierop, Burns & Bassett LLP. She began her career serving as law clerk to the Hon. Lawrence W. Pierce in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Ms. Martin volunteers extensively within her home community and the New York legal community. Her volunteer work includes the Staten Island Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Chair, May Week Committee); the NYS Bar Association (co-chair, President’s Committee on Access to Justice and Committee on Leadership Development); the Network of Bar Leaders (recording secretary); the Staten Island Women’s Bar Association (past president; state co-chair, Title IX/Education Committee); the New York Bar Foundation (board member); the American Association of University Women-NYS, Inc. (past state president; member, national board of directors); Meals on Wheels of SI (board member); and the Alice Austen House and Museum (advisory board member).

Ms. Martin graduated from New York University School of Law (Vanderbilt Medal, Arthur Garfield Hayes Civil Liberties Fellowship, Convocation Class Speaker, and NAACP LDF Earl Warren Scholarship Fellowship) and holds her B.A. in Art History from Williams College (Dean’s List, Art History Merit Award Winner).

Audra J. Barrow is the Founder of the Barrow Law Group and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1996. Before becoming an attorney, she worked in a nursing home for years where she held positions in several departments. Her unique perspective on asset protection and issues facing the elderly was influenced by her work experience at the nursing home. There, she had firsthand exposure to the complex issues and the challenges families encounter when there is little or no planning in place.  

Ms. Barrow established the Firm over twenty-two years ago to act as a change agent and educate individuals, families and business owners on the importance of estate planning. For the last ten years, Audra has offered workshops to inform on estate planning and to illustrate the difference between estate planning and asset protection. Audra has a great ability to simplify complex estate planning and elder law concepts. As a result, she is a sought-after speaker to present on the areas of estate planning, asset protection and Medicaid planning. 

She graduated from New York Law School in Spring 1996 and holds a Bachelor of Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  

Currently, she also teaches Real Estate Law at New York University School of Professional Studies.  She has authored an article for the Our Times Press. is a member of the National Academy of Elder Attorneys (NAELA), a charter member of Gotham Parliamentarians, a Unit of the National Associations of Parliamentarians, and she is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 

Audra has one son and they reside together in Brooklyn, New York.