HARRISBURG (May 8, 2017) — Wesley R. Payne IV, a partner in Philadelphia’s White and Williams LLP, will begin a three-year term as a zone governor on the Pennsylvania Bar Association Board of Governors at the conclusion of the PBA Annual Meeting, May 12, in Pittsburgh.
One of 12 zone governors, Payne will represent Philadelphia lawyers.
During 2017-18, Payne also will serve as treasurer of the PBA Conference of County Bar Leaders.
Payne is concluding a three-year term as the PBA at-large minority governor and one-year terms as chair of the PBA Diversity Team and as a member of the PBA Nominating Committee and PBA Planning Committee.
Payne is a member and past chair of the PBA Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, and a member of the PBA Civil and Equal Rights Committee and PBA Minority Bar Committee. He is a former chair of the PBA Diversity Committee. He previously served on the PBA Judicial Administration and PBA Legal Services to the Public committees.
Payne is the past treasurer of the Philadelphia Bar Association and a member of the Barristers Association of Philadelphia. He is a former director of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute and a past president of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel.
Active in pro bono and civic activities, Payne is president of the Bethesda Project, a past president of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network and past co-president of the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group. He is a member of the boards of directors for the Homeless Advocacy Project.
Payne is a cum laude graduate of Washington and Lee University. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. He served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1988 until 1991.
Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.