Alexander Payne

Practice areas

Family Law

Focus areas

Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence

Alex was born and raised as the sole Chinese-American resident on the picturesque French Caribbean island of Saint Martin, where his family still resides. During his upbringing, he embarked on brief educational journeys across the Caribbean and South America, attending schools where instruction was exclusively in French, Spanish, and Papiamento. Eventually, Alex relocated to the United States, where he completed his undergraduate studies at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Later, he pursued his Juris Doctorate at George Mason University School of Law in Virginia, a Tier I institution renowned for its emphasis on the intersection of economics and law.

Following his legal education, Alex embarked on a career in criminal law in Virginia, which encompassed handling criminal appellate cases, such as the notable case of Little v. Commonwealth (2012) 777 S.E.2d 317 (Va. Ct. App. 2012). Subsequently, he returned to California, where he dedicated five years to practicing business litigation, with a primary focus on employment, construction defects, and contract disputes. Alex’s legal portfolio spanned a wide spectrum, ranging from straightforward cases involving single agreements or unrepresented opposing parties to high-stakes litigation involving publicly traded corporations, international disputes extending from Mexico to China, and legally intricate matters. Notable cases include Ping Pan v. Skyline Technology HK Co., Ltd., CIVRS1201048, 2018 WL 4275239 (Fourth Dist. Ct. September 6, 2018) (a Chinese international shipping dispute) and Marriage of Hsu, G053490, 2017 WL 2334020 (Fourth Dist. Ct. May 30, 2017) (a transmutation case). Alex litigated these cases in both federal and state courts, before various judicial bodies, administrators, commissioners, and via alternative dispute resolution services.

Subsequently, Alex shifted his legal focus from general civil litigation to the exclusive realm of family law at Minyard Morris, where he assists individuals facing one of the most emotionally challenging times in their lives – divorce. In the field of family law, Alex has excelled and demonstrated his commitment to professional development by graduating from the National Family Law Trial Institute in Houston, Texas, a prestigious program dedicated solely to enhancing litigation skills in family law. Additionally, he attended successive 3-day programs concentrating on business valuation and cross-examination techniques.

Alex has successfully handled complex marital and financial matters, including cases involving multiple parties, attorneys’ fees and costs, business valuation, determining cash flow or income for support purposes, and child custody disputes. He routinely manages cases with expert witnesses, such as forensic accountants, reasonable compensation experts, child custody evaluators, Evidence Code section 730 experts, and appraisers. Moreover, Alex has represented clients in family law appeals and has presented arguments before the California Court of Appeal, as evidenced in Nakamoto v. Hsu (2022) 79 Cal.App.5th 457.

Alex currently holds the position of partner at Minyard Morris, where he specializes exclusively in family law matters within Orange County. Furthermore, he has achieved the distinguished status of being a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), an organization renowned for its leadership in family law continuing education, publications, networking, and training. AAML Fellows are recognized for setting the standard for the practice of family law across the nation, contributing to its enhancement for both attorneys and litigants. In Orange County, a select group of approximately 17 AAML Fellows includes four partners from Minyard Morris: Mark E. Minyard, Michael A. Morris, Lonnie K. Seide, and Alexander C. Payne.

Beyond his legal practice, Alex actively engages with his local community. He serves as a Director for the Public Law Center (PLC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing free legal services to low-income residents and other nonprofit organizations in Orange County. Additionally, he holds leadership roles in the Orange County Asian American Bar Association (OCAABA) and serves as President for the Orange County Korea American Bar Foundation (OCKABA Foundation), another 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on promoting charitable activities related to the law, with a particular emphasis on benefiting the Korean-American community in Orange County.

Outside of his professional commitments, Alex passionately supports Minnesota sports teams, despite their often disappointing outcomes, and maintains an active lifestyle by participating in local basketball and beach football leagues. His love for travel has led him to explore numerous international destinations, with a personal mission to dine at as many Michelin 3-starred restaurants as possible. Additionally, he is currently dedicated to learning Mandarin.