Appeals

Katie Payne has a history of service and dedication to Texas public education. Since 2010, she has represented school districts in the areas of labor and employment, constitutional and civil rights litigation, and general school law. Katie represents government entities in state and federal venues in administrative hearings, bench and jury trials, and appeals.

Prior to attending law school, Katie gained firsthand public school experience while teaching seventh grade language arts in the Houston Independent School District through the Teach for America program. She is also the proud product of a rural Kansas public school district, where her father served on the school board and her mother worked in K-12 and higher education. Katie received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, where she represented abused and neglected children in the Children’s Rights Clinic and laborers in the Transnational Worker Rights Clinic.

Katie’s passion for public education and her experience as a teacher have given her a unique perspective on the legal issues facing Texas school districts today. She has a deep understanding of the challenges that educators, administrators, and school board members face, and she is committed to helping them navigate this complex legal landscape. In addition to her advocacy in the courtroom and counseling in the boardroom, Katie is a frequent speaker on legal issues affecting public education.