Our Team

Chase Payne was born and raised in Florence, South Carolina. He attended Florida State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance and a minor in Accounting. Chase attended the Charleston School of Law and is licensed to practice in South Carolina and the Federal District Court of South Carolina.

Chase Payne is a strong advocate for his broad range of clients whom include individuals, real estate agents, and businesses. He is an experienced Charleston attorney regarding all stages of civil real estate controversies, including foreclosure defense, real estate transactions, and real estate closings. Further, he practices in the area of personal injury, estate planning, and probating wills.

Courtney Wall Kerce is originally from Mayodan, North Carolina.  Courtney attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she excelled academically and received a B.A. in Political Science and Communication Studies.

Courtney attended the Charleston School of Law. She was on the Dean’s list and served as Secretary for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society. During law school, Courtney gained legal experience while serving as an Extern for the Honorable Jack A. Landis and a Law Clerk at Bluestein & Douglas, LLC.

Courtney is a highly proficient family lawyer who has been in private practice in Charleston since 2009. Courtney is an experienced Charleston divorce attorney who has extensive knowledge in both litigation and alternative dispute resolution.

Courtney and her family currently reside on Daniel Island.

Memberships
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
Charleston County Bar Association
Charleston County Family Law Section
South Carolina Collaborative Law Institute
Daniel Island Business Association – Organizational Liaison and Meeting Program Coordinator
Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church

Victoria Nichole Smith is a South Carolina native. She was born in Greenville, South Carolina. She graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and a cognate in psychology. During college, Victoria worked in a civilian capacity for the Property Crimes Unit of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. After deciding to pursue a career in the legal profession, Victoria obtained a Doctorate of Juris Prudence from the Charleston School of Law in 2014, where she was the youngest student among her graduating class.

While attending law school, Victoria was injured in a car accident. This incident instilled a passion in her to help victims of vehicular collisions obtain fair and just compensation for their injuries. She works vigorously to fight for her clients’ rights and has experience in handling a variety of civil litigation and personal injury cases ranging from dog bites to medical malpractice.

Kim Miller is originally from Albuquerque, N.M. and has lived in the Charleston area with her husband since 2001. She has over 15 years of experience as a paralegal and joined the Payne Law Firm in 2012 where she handles residential and commercial closings and assists with other real estate related cases.

Lauren Childress was born and raised in upstate South Carolina. In 2011, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina. Lauren joined Payne Law Firm, LLC in 2013 after relocating to Charleston from Greenville. She handles residential real estate closings in our Daniel Island and Summerville offices.

In her spare time, you will find Lauren cooking up something delicious or playing with her fur-child Maverick.

Jane Pilarski was born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Kansas, Utah, and finally settled in South Carolina. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Coastal Carolina University and hopes to attend law school in the future. She joined the Payne Law Firm in 2016 where she assists with residential real estate closings.

In her spare time, you will find Jane taking in all that Charleston offers.