$ 200-400 per hour
Travis Payne graduated with honors from the University of Michigan Law School in 1978, and came to North Carolina that year to, along with 2 other lawyers, open a Legal Services office serving low income and disadvantaged persons in Johnston and Harnett Counties. In 1982 when the federal government imposed restrictions on the way in which Legal Services attorneys could go about representing their clients, Travis and Steve Edelstein formed Edelstein and Payne to continue their work.
Travis has focused most of his practice over the years in employment, civil rights, and workers compensation cases. He has done more than a dozen cases in that area in the appellate courts of North Carolina, as well as represented people in dozens of employment, wage and hour and civil rights cases in federal court. He has also successfully represented state and county employees in trials before Administrative Law Judges; and has similarly successfully represented federal employees in administrative trials.
Travis has litigated a number of important cases that have expanded the rights and protections of working people. He obtained a favorable ruling in the case of Sides v. Duke University, which was the first North Carolina case to recognize that employees could bring a claim against their employers for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. In Crow v. Citicorp, he obtained the first decision from the NC Supreme Court to recognize a common question class action under state law, allowing consumers to essentially combine their claims and seek compensation from large corporations. He successfully argued a nuclear whistleblower case, English v. General Electric, to the United States Supreme court, obtaining a unanimous decision reversing the lower courts’ dismissal of the claim. That case made it possible for whistleblowers covered by federal whistleblower laws to seek compensation beyond what the federal laws allowed.
Travis has a commitment to serving and assisting people in protecting and enforcing their rights. He has spoken on numerous occasions to workers and community organizations. For more than two decades he has done a free legal clinic one morning a month in Rocky Mount that is sponsored by the Black Workers for Justice. He has also served in excess of 20 years on the Board of the Black Lawyers Association Land Loss Prevention Project, serving as the Chair of the Board on several occasions.
In terms of service to the legal community and efforts to improve the representation that citizens receive, he has prepared manuscripts and lectured at legal seminars about employment, wage and hour, and civil rights issues on more than a dozen occasions. Travis has also served one term on the North Carolina Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Council, and served two terms as Chair of the Civil Rights Section of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers. More recently he has been on the Executive Committees of both the Workers’ Compensation and Employment Sections of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.
For their long commitment to the work of protecting and enhancing the rights of working people, Travis and the firm of Edelstein and Payne have received the following awards:
2004 Recognition by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, for Travis’ work as a cooperating attorney on several housing discrimination cases.
October, 2007 “Defender of Justice” award presented to the firm of Edelstein and Payne by the North Carolina Justice Center.
June, 2011 Recognition by the Workers’ Compensation Section of the North Carolina
Advocates for Justice for Travis’ service to the Section and to Injured Workers in
North Carolina.
October, 2012, Awarded the Harkavy Award by the Labor and Employment Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association for Travis’ contributions to employment law in North Carolina over his career.
4
Practice Areas
36 years | 300 cases
48 years | 300 cases
41 years | 100 cases
31 years | 30 cases
$ 200-400 per hour
25%-38%
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Chat withState: North Carolina
Acquired: 1978
No misconduct found
315 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC, 27601
10 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 7 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge
Posted by JB | July 03, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Workers Compensation
Travis is Honest, Clear, Highly Competent, & A Good Guy who Fights hard for Your Rights! Hiring Travis was my best decision!
When I first came to Travis, I was confused and lacking confidence with the Workers’ Comp legal system. Prior to speaking more about Travis, please allow me to explain how I had a 2nd chance to receive excellent legal representation, and meet Travis. My original attorney (not Travis Payne) felt my ...
Posted by anonymous | July 02, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Workers Compensation
Fantastic experience
Approximately 7 years ago (2010), I was injured while working. My employer did not deny any claims and arranged for the medical care that I needed. Unfortunately, after several surgeries, it became clear to my doctor that I would not be able to return to work in the capacity that I did before the i...
Posted by Anthony | June 22, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Employment & Labor
Worlds Greatest Law Firm
I was a member of a Firefighter's Association back in the 90's. Travis took our case dealing with overtime issues and back pay. This case was settled out of court with all firefighter's receiving back pay and all future overtime being paid correctly. Travis handled a worker's comp. case for me th...
Posted by Pamela | June 11, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Workers Compensation
Great Attorney!
Travis was an excellent attorney for me in my worker's compensation case. I spent 4 years fighting my case and Travis was there every step of the way. He took the time in my initial consultation to explain the process to me and help me understand what I would have to do. He communicated with me fr...
Posted by Frank | June 05, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Workers Compensation
Top Notch
I have needed the services of M. Travis Payne twice in my career. Travis has always shown that he is an expert on workers comp issues and work place related problems. Travis has shown compassion and vast knowledge with my most recent case involving a serious injury which ultimately led to a medical r...
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2012
Harkavy Award for contributions to employment law, Labor and Employment Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association
2011
Recognition for service to the Injured Workers in North Carolina, Workers’ Compensation Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice
2007
Defender of Justice” to the firm of Edelstein and Payne, North Carolina Justice Center
2004
Rcognition for work as a cooperating attorney, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1982 - Present
Partner, Edelstein and Payne
1978 - 1981
Staff attorney in the Smithfield office, East Central Community Leagal Services
1995 - Present
North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Civil Rights SectionPast Chair
1987 - Present
North Carolina Bar AssociationPast member of the Labor and Employment Council
1982 - Present
North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Employment Law SectionMember of Executive Committee
1982 - Present
North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Workers Compensation SectionAmicus committee and past member of Executive Committee
1982 - Present
North Carolina Advocates for JusticeMember of Amicus and Legislative Committees
1978 - Present
National Lawyers GuildPast Chair of North Carolina Chapter
Affirmed favorable ruling for injured worker
Affirmed favorable ruling for injured worker
Upheld favorable ruling for injured worker
Ruled thta the injured workers refusal of an offered job wsa justified.
Reversed dismissal of plaintiffs claims
Reversed dismissal of plaintiffs claims
REversed denial of class action certification
Reversed dismissal of plaintiffs claims
1978
JD - Juris Doctor
1970
Bachelor of Arts
2015
Twenty Years Later: SIDES and Its Impact Today
2014
Know Your Rights
2014
Know Your Rights
2013
Know Your Rights
2013
Know Your Rights
2011
Things to Watch Out for in Sweeping Releases
2011
Elements and Procedure for Claims under the Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act (REDA)
2011
Representing Employees Subject to Just Cause Protections under the State Personnel Act
2010
The Inter-Relationship Between Unemployment Benefits and Workers’ Comp
2009
Ethical Issues that Arise During the Representation of Groups of Plaintiffs
2007
Wage and Hour Laws
2006
Motion Practice and Pre-Trail Procedures in State Court and the Federal District Courts
2004
DOL Wage and Hour Regulations Effective August, 2004
2004
Federal Whistleblower Statutes
2001
Recent Supreme Court Decisions Making States Immune from Federal Laws
2000
Public Employees’ Rights Under the Constitution of North Carolina
1998
Wage and Hour Laws
1995
Wage and Hour Laws
1995
Trial Practices for Employment Discrimination Cases: A Plaintiff’s Perspective
1988
Practical Aspects and Considerations in Bringing a Civil Rights Action
2001
English
Spanish
Legal Guides