About

William Payne, Atty-at-Law

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

• Payne Law, P.S. – November 2014 to present – general practice law firm.
• Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (Appointed), January 2014 to November 2014 – Prosecuting Attorney provided civil legal advice to county departments and elected officials, prosecuted all felony crimes and misdemeanors in the county. In charge of $1.6M budget and 9 attorneys and 10 staff.
• Washington State Attorney General – Assistant Attorney General, September 2011 to January 2014 present – represent DSHS in dependency actions, termination of parental rights trials and appeals.
• Payne Law Firm, PS — August 2009 to Sept 2011—solo-practitioner general practice law firm; Felony Criminal Defense, including 1^st degree murder.
• Clallam County Prosecutors Office – August 2008 to August 2009 — Deputy Felony Prosecutor.
• Bellingham Assigned Counsel – August 2007 to August 2008 — Assigned Counsel Bellingham, WA.
• Sweetwater County Attorney, Rock Springs, WY – January 2007 to August 2007 — Deputy County Attorney, Felony and misdemeanor prosecutor.

August 2003 – December 2005 (concurrent employment positions)

• Bussart, West & Tyler, P.C. (AV rated) – Associate, general practice; civil litigation firm, state and federal court, appeals to Wyoming Supreme Court.
• Town of Superior, Wyoming – Municipal Judge, part-time for infractions and misdemeanors January 2004 – December 2005.
• Wyoming State Public Defender – Part-time Felony and misdemeanor public Defender. August – December 2005.

Previous Positions Held

• Wyoming 3^rd Judicial District Court, Honorable Nena James — Part-time law clerk 3^rd year law school.
• Wyoming State Public Defender – Summer Intern; June – August 2002.
• University of Wyoming, Office of the General Counsel — Extern, May 2001 – December 2001.

COURT ADMISSIONS: United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; United States District Court, District of Wyoming; Supreme Court of Wyoming; Supreme Court of Washington; U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims.

PUBLISHED CASES: Eastman v. Union Pacific Railroad, 03-CV-185-D; Cantrell v. Sweetwater School District 2, 2006 WY 57, 133 P.3d 983, (Wyo. 2006); Baker v. Ayres and Baker Pole and Post, 2005

WY 97, 117 P.3d 1234 (Wyo.2005); State of Washington v Etienne Lucier Choquette, No. 41769-3-II

EDUCATION

• Juris Doctorate — University of Wyoming College of Law, Laramie, WY – May 2003. Moot Court finalist and Rothgerber Trial Competition semi-finalist.
• Master of Business Administration — Wayland Baptist University (WBU), Plainview, TX — Dec 1999.
• Bachelor of Science, Occupational Education (Business/Electronics technology), WBU — May 1988.

NON-LEGAL WORK EXPERIENCE

• Western Wyoming Community College, Adjunct Instructor – January 2005 – Business Law.
• Employment, including self-employment, in computer/network consulting firms — January 1990 to May 2000 – general network and computer consulting. Managed up to 18 employees, $1.2M budget/Revenue
• United States Marine Corps, Captain – July 1978 to January 1990 –Honorable Discharge – Navy Achievement Medal; Primary Duties: Air Defense Control officer; Logistics Officer.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Rotary (1992) Paul Harris Fellow, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club; Public Safety Advisory Committee, Port Angeles, WA; Clallam County Sheriff Citizens Advisory Board; Clallam/Jefferson Pro Bono Lawyers President 2013, 2014, 2015; Clallam County Bar President 2010; Clallam County Habitat for Humanity Vice President.