Jason Payne of Payne Law Firm Receives UH Law President's Award at 49th Gala in Houston, Texas

Jason E. Payne recognized for outstanding commitment to alma mater at UH Law's record-breaking 49th Annual Gala.

HOUSTON, June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jason E. Payne, founding attorney of Payne Law Firm, has received the President's Award from the University of Houston Law Alumni Association, one of the law center's highest honors for graduates who demonstrate exceptional professional achievement and enduring loyalty to the institution that shaped them. 

"Thank you to the University of Houston Law Center for presenting me with the President's Award at this year's 49th Annual Gala," says Jason Payne, Founding Attorney. "It was truly an honor to be recognized by my alma mater." 

For more information on how Jason Payne and his law firm give back to the community, visit https://www.paynelawfirm.com/.

A Personal Injury Legal Career Built on Accountability

The award was presented May 2, 2026, at the 49th Annual Law Gala & Auction, themed "Bond, Barristers, and Black Tie," which raised more than $1.6 million, the most in the event's history for support of student scholarships, advocacy programs, and faculty research. UH Law Dean Leonard M. Baynes called it "an evening of bonding and celebration," crediting the UHLC community for "achieving the impossible by working together."

The President's Award recognizes graduates who build highly respected careers while dedicating their time to supporting UH Law Center students, alumni, and broader civic institutions, a standard Payne has met on both fronts throughout a career representing injured Texans.

Payne, a board-certified personal injury trial attorney and Port Arthur, Texas, native, earned his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 2002. His practice, which serves clients in Texas and North Carolina, focuses on complex personal injury cases, including the growing field of rideshare accident litigation, where navigating overlapping insurance frameworks has become increasingly consequential for injured victims.

In rideshare cases, the insurance coverage available to an injured passenger, motorist, or pedestrian shifts depending on what the driver was doing with the app at the moment of collision — a distinction that can determine whether a victim recovers thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is precisely the kind of high-stakes, detail-driven advocacy that has defined Payne's two-decade career.

Sustained Legal Recognition in Texas

Payne's service to the University of Houston runs deep. He sits on the University of Houston Alumni Association Foundation Board, its Executive Committee, and the UH Board of Visitors. Before founding Payne Law Firm, he interned in the offices of then-State Rep. Garnet Coleman and then-State Rep. Sylvester Turner during his undergraduate years at the University of Houston. His professional accolades include the 2025 Cougar 100 Award from the University of Houston, Texas Super Lawyer recognition from 2019–2026, and Texas Rising Star from 2012–2017.

SOURCE Payne Law Firm