Christopher D. Payne Esq. has been advising and protecting clients for more than 30 years adhering to the goal of making your experience with the legal community as smooth and painless (PayneLess!) as possible.  We know that dealing with lawyers can often be frightening, frustrating, and expensive, but we aim for you to experience something better. A PayneLess and PayneFree legal experience is possible and waiting for you. 

Christopher’s passion for the law began before law school as he studied America’s history and the laws created after slavery ended and before segregation began as a student in the South at Duke University.  His deeper interest in how the law could be used to protect your family legacy, intellectual property, and your business interests develop in law school at the University of Virginia School of Law. After moving west to Arizona to help pass Arizona’s MLK Holiday, Christopher stayed to gain experience in many areas of the law and develop his personal approach to providing legal expertise with intelligent compassion and empathy for his client’s needs.

Christopher learned the foundations of an ethical lawyer and the tools to be an effective trial attorney at Snell & Wilmer, Moore McCoy and Payne, and Muchmore & Wallwork.

But he is more than just a well-trained lawyer – he is also an experience small business owner. He learned how to manage and administer a small business with his own solo firm Christopher D. Payne, P.C., and a gourmet popcorn store, Pass the Popcorn! before founding the Payne Law Office in 2003.

During his experiences at these various firms and ventures, Christopher continued to polish his skills for effective and efficient lawyering in many legal areas, especially business legal matters, estate planning, and trademark protections.

You can be sure that Christopher knows the law, but also has first-hand practical experience with your issues. As a small business owner, he has experienced and solved many common legal and business issues facing small business owners and start ups, from setting up a legal entity for business startups to litigating business divorces or dissolutions. He can explain the value of trademark to a small business, while also professionally filing and protecting your brand and trademark.

And sadly, following the death of his 20-year-old son and mother only a month apart, Christopher can personally explain the importance of estate planning and the challenges of Trust Administration and probate litigation. His own loss and experience ensures that he will approach protecting your legacy or the needs of your loved ones with compassion and empathy.

Now, as a seasoned and experienced attorney dedicated to empathetically and compassionately helping his clients, Christopher’s knowledge can help you understand the law, how it can be applied to your situation and legal needs, and what it will take to resolve your issue or protect your interests – All Paynefree.

EDUCATION

• University of Virginia School of Law, Juris Doctor
• Duke University, Bachelor of Arts, History
• Northfield Mt. Hermon School (Highschool)

EXPERIENCE

• In 1991, Christopher began his legal career in Phoenix with the law firm Snell & Wilmer, LLLP.
• In 1993, he started his first small business law firm in 1994 with Moore, McCoy & Payne, P.C.
• In 2003, he started his first non-legal small business with Pass the Popcorn!, a gourmet popcorn shop with locations at Sky Harbor International Airport and in North Phoenix.
• In, 2003, the Payne Law Office grew out of Christopher’s first solo firm, Christopher D. Payne, P.C.
• He has been admitted practice in Arizona, the District of Columbia, and many federal jurisdictions as an attorney and small firm since 1991.

LICENSES

• State Bar of Arizona
• District of Columbia Bar Association (Inactive)
• District Court of Arizona
• Ninth Circuit Court of the United States

PROFESSIONAL AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

• State Bar of Arizona
• National Bar Association
• Arizona Black Bar