Payne Keinarth is a business and construction-dispute litigator with first-chair jury trial experience. He has tried multiple bench trials and arbitrations to successful results for his clients.
Growing up in Bastrop, Texas, Payne did not go far for college and law school. He is a proud double Longhorn as a graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2016 and a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 2019.
Payne prides himself on understanding his clients’ goals and working toward those in a time and cost-efficient manner to secure the best results possible, whether that involves motion practice or taking a case to trial.
Education & Credentials
Education
University of Texas School of Law
J.D., 2019- Order of Barristers
- Champion: Gibbs and Bruns Intramural Moot Court Competition, Fall 2017
University of Texas, Austin
B.A., History, 2016- Graduated with honors
- Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admission
Acknowledgements
- The Legal 500 United States
- General Commercial Dispute Resolution
- Texas Super Lawyers
- "Rising Stars," Commercial & Business Litigation, 2025
Prominent Assignments
- Secured six-figure settlement on behalf of homeowners to resolve litigation against a subcontractor.
- Serves as counsel to a large, national construction equipment company, assisting it with breach of contract and re-possession cases, recently securing judgment in its favor after a bench trial.
- Served as counsel to a majority-interest holder in a company control dispute alleging two members breached their contractual obligation to give client control in exchange for the client buying out the previous financial partner and other acts.
- Served as counsel to an intermodal services company in the first trial under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), alleging that the client had collected the trucker’s fingerprints in violation of BIPA.
- Served as counsel to a commercial landlord with a portfolio of many medical office properties, successfully litigating multiple cases to final judgment in client’s favor.
- Served as counsel to a former employee in non-compete and trade secret litigation against former employer, successfully resolving case prior to trial.
- Represented a telecommunications company in response to an OSHA citation regarding allegations resulting from the use of cranes on a job site.
- Assisted an apartment company in a case involving construction and design defects, both of which were the subject of a large AAA arbitration.
- Represented a pizza franchisee in a lease disagreement, alleging claims of breach of contract and breach of lease, seeking specific performance, and obtaining temporary injunctive relief.
- Served as counsel for a homeowner in a breach of contract dispute with a contractor, obtaining an agreed judgment for the homeowner.
- Served as counsel to a roofing contractor in breach of contract disputes, successfully resolving cases prior to trial.
Professional Involvement
- Austin Bar Association, Member
- Austin Young Lawyers Association, Member
Court Admissions
- Texas State Courts
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois