During her law school matriculation, Claudia served as the senior editor for her university’s journal and as a board member of the Trial Advocacy team, experiences that helped cultivate her comfort and passion for the courtroom and litigation.
She also served as a fellow for the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus before graduating cum laude from law school. Before entering private practice, Claudia clerked for a district attorney’s office and a “big law” firm specializing in defense litigation. Ultimately, she chose to start her own practice to provide a standard of representation she felt was missing.
She is the founding partner of The Payne Firm and has assisted more than 150 families. In her first year as a licensed attorney, she completed a second-degree murder trial that resulted in a favorable verdict for her client. Her firm currently has over $8 million in pending personal injury and wrongful death cases, some in partnership with the state’s largest firms.
Claudia also serves as a council member for the Louisiana State Law Institute, an honor bestowed on only nine recent law graduates statewide.
A small-town native, Claudia understood the power of perseverance at an early age. Outside the courtroom, she enjoys spending time with her family, often around a table of great food, and traveling.
