Mr. Payne has provided legal services to the community since 1977, developing an excellent reputation for tenacious representation of his clients while being sensitive to the availability and benefits of alternate dispute resolution including mediation, arbitration and negotiated settlements.

The firm is a full service law firm, representing and advising clients in the areas of family law and probate and estate administration. The firm offers a professional, while friendly, environment and uses cost effective methods to provide services in a timely, client-oriented manner. Mr. Payne's approach is to focus on each client's background, needs, and goals. He and his staff are committed to responding promptly to telephone calls, to reporting on cases regularly, and to minimizing and eliminating risks by informing clients of significant changes in the law. Especially in Family Law and probate matters, Mr. Payne and his staff recognize the severe anxiety and sometimes even trauma which clients experience. They strive to be supportive through this process as well as attentive to the challenging legal tasks.

Mr. Payne possesses high academic credentials, maintains strong community ties and is committed to the pursuit of excellence. Mr. Payne's education and training in Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy, as well as his work with juvenile offenders and offender counseling, uniquely equip him for practice in the fields of Family Law. This background provides him with skills of listening and understanding which complement his legal knowledge and expertise. Having experienced divorce himself, Mr. Payne has gained additional understanding and empathy for clients. He has been trained to communicate effectively and operates with the strictest and highest personal and professional ethics. Mr. Payne believes that an attorney can be a premier advocate for his client while holding fast to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. The focus and goal of Mr. Payne's practice is to provide individualized services to each client. As a solo firm, the staff and Mr. Payne are easily accessible and available to each client. Having been a Family Law practitioner for more than 28 years, Mr. Payne has learned the importance of personal attention and a prompt response to clients.

Mr. Payne's dedication to quality, trust, honesty, respect and understanding of the law is the foundation of his long standing relationships with clients, the legal community and the community at large.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law
• Child Support
• Custody & Visitation
• Divorce
• Probate
• Wills

Bar Admissions

• Georgia, 1977

Education

• Woodrow Wilson College of Law, Atlanta, Georgia, 1977
  Honors: Cum Laude
  
  
• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky
  Master of Divinity
  
  
• Samford University
  Bachelor of Arts
  
  

Honors and Awards

• President's Award for Outstanding Service, Cobb County Bar Association, 1999
• President's Award for Outstanding Service, Cobb County Bar Association, 2001

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section
  Member
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, 1984 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2000 - 2001
  Vice-President
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, 2002 - 2003
  Trustee at Large
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, 1988 - 1991
  Chaplain
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, Elder Law Section, 2003 - 2005
  President
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, 2004 - 2005
  Treasurer
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1999 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, 2000 - 2001
  Chaplain
  
  
• Cobb County Bar Association, Elder Law Section, 2001 - 2006
  Member
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Georgia Division of Youth Services, 1973 - 1975
• Georgia Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to Public Offenders, 1975 - 1977
• Payne, Stokes & Payne, Partner, 1977 - 1979
• Hansell, Post, Brandon & Dorsey, Real Estate Division, 1979 - 1980

Pro Bono Activities

• Cobb County Legal Aid and Cobb Justice Foundation, 1997 - Present
• Member, East Cobb Optimist Club, 1982 - 1989
• Vice President - Girls Program, Pope High School Soccer Booster Club, 2000 - 2001
• President - Boys and Girls Program, Pope High School Soccer Booster Club, 2001 - 2002
• Volunteer Sports Photographer, Pope High School Soccer Booster Club, 2000 - 2003
• Board of Directors, Grace Corp, Inc. (Ministry to Children in Haiti), 2004 - 2006
• Chairman of the Board, Vision Atlanta, Inc. (Ministry to Children in At-Risk Environments), 2005 - 2006

Birth Information

• Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America