Mark Payne is a strong and seasoned advocate and legal adviser. His clients praise him as thoughtful, dedicated, thorough and effective. Mark has been advising and defending employers since 1992. He represents local, regional and national employers across a wide range of industries in all aspects of employment and labor law, with an emphasis on the unique challenges facing employers with operations in California.
As lead counsel, Mark has successfully resolved hundreds of employment-related disputes in state and federal courts. His proven track record of litigation success makes him an effective, practical legal adviser to employers seeking to comply with local, state and federal workplace laws in various matters (for example, wage and hour compliance and class action defense; discrimination, harassment and retaliation issues; workplace investigations; executive compensation; and traditional labor relations, including collective bargaining negotiations and grievance resolution).
Mark also has extensive experience with unfair competition claims and protection of trade secrets, helping companies protect their information assets through effective policies, enforceable agreements and, when necessary, litigation.
Before he began practicing law, he distinguished himself in his undergraduate and graduate studies. In college, he completed three major courses of study – philosophy, religion and psychology. He graduated cum laude, received honors in religion and earned a Bachelor of Science.
After college, Mark worked for two years in computer software development for the trade association industry. He then earned his Juris Doctor at the College of William & Mary, where he served as the managing editor for the Law Review and was admitted to the Order of the Coif after graduating in the top 5 percent of his class.
After law school, Mark served in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia as a law clerk for the Honorable Rebecca Beach Smith. He then began his employment and labor law practice with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he was an associate and of counsel for eight years.
Professional and Community Involvement :
- American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section)
- Orange County Bar Association (Labor Law Section)
EDUCATION :
- William & Mary Law School, J.D., Order of the Coif, 1991
- Mary Washington College, B.S., cum laude, 1986
BAR ADMISSIONS : California
COURT ADMISSIONS :
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Cost
Rate : $$$