Peyton Murphy is a trial lawyer, business owner, and community advocate based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He grew up in South Louisiana and knew from a young age that he wanted to help people. That goal led him to law school. After graduating from LSU in 1988, he earned his law degree from Tulane School of Law in 1991. He became a licensed attorney in both Louisiana and Connecticut.
In 1993, at just 27 years old, Peyton opened Murphy Law Firm. Since then, he has built a successful practice focused on personal injury cases. He has taken on big insurance companies—and won. One of his jury verdicts reached $18.9 million, the largest single-event case ever decided by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Another case for a spinal joint injury set a record at $758,000.
But Peyton’s success goes beyond the courtroom. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led efforts to give out over 67,000 masks and 100 gallons of sanitizer. His firm supports many causes, including food insecurity, homelessness, autism awareness, and cancer research.
Peyton Murphy believes in showing up, staying prepared, and doing the right thing. “Success is about building trust,” he says. “With clients. With colleagues. With yourself.”
Outside of work, Peyton enjoys golfing, bow hunting, and saltwater fishing with his dog, Waylon. He continues to lead with integrity, helping others through both his legal work and his presence in the community.
For Peyton, the goal has always been clear: work hard, help people, and never stop learning.
Q&A with Peyton Murphy: A Hard-Earned Perspective on Success
Q: You’ve been practicing law for over 30 years. How has your idea of success changed over time?
Peyton Murphy:
When I was younger, success meant winning. Winning cases, growing the firm, doing better than last year. And I still care about results, of course — I’m competitive by nature. But over time, I’ve realized that success is more about how you get those results. Did I treat people with respect? Did I prepare the right way? Did I help someone get through a hard time? If I can answer “yes” to those questions, I know I’m on the right track.
Q: What role has your background played in shaping your approach to business and success?
Murphy:
I grew up in South Louisiana. My parents weren’t lawyers. I didn’t have a blueprint for how to build a firm or run a business. But I did grow up around people who worked hard and looked out for each other. That taught me two things early on: stay consistent, and show up when it matters.
Starting my firm in 1993, just a couple of years out of law school, was a leap. I was 27, no safety net. But I believed in putting in the work and letting the results speak for themselves.
Q: How do you define success outside the courtroom?
Murphy:
Balance is a big part of it. I’ve seen what happens when people get consumed by work — it bleeds into everything. If I’m stretched too thin personally, it affects my work. So success, to me, includes having time to enjoy life: golfing, being outdoors, fishing with my dog, Waylon. It also means being able to give back — not just money, but time, energy, attention.
During the pandemic, for example, we gave out over 67,000 masks and more than 100 gallons of hand sanitizer. That wasn’t about publicity. It was about stepping up when people needed help. That felt like success.
Q: Has self-doubt ever played a role in your journey?
Murphy:
Absolutely. I think most people who’ve built something real have felt doubt — both from others and from within. The turning point for me was learning not to fight the doubt, but to work with it. If I feel unsure, I treat it as a signal to slow down, double-check the plan, or prepare more thoroughly.
Sometimes doubt just means you care. That you’re paying attention. I’d rather have that than false confidence.
Q: You’ve mentioned that you learn from clients. Can you explain that?
Murphy:
Some of the people I represent have been through the worst days of their lives — and they still show up, they still trust the process. That kind of resilience teaches you something. It reminds me that being a good lawyer isn’t just about knowing the law — it’s about standing next to someone when things feel uncertain. That’s not something you learn in a textbook.
Q: What systems or habits have helped you stay consistent over the years?
Murphy:
I write things down. Still do it old-school — pen and paper. I set short-term goals to keep momentum and long-term ones to stay pointed in the right direction. And I check in on them regularly. If something doesn’t make sense anymore, I’m not afraid to adjust.
Success isn’t about being rigid. It’s about staying intentional.
Q: What’s a less obvious skill that’s been important to your success?
Murphy:
Listening. Not the kind where you’re just waiting for your turn to talk. Real listening. In law, a lot of people think success means talking fast or sounding smart. But I’ve found that reading between the lines, knowing when not to speak — that’s where the real work happens. That’s how you build trust.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who’s early in their career and defining success for themselves?
Murphy:
Don’t try to imitate people — learn from them instead. Stay curious. Ask questions even when you feel like you “should” already know the answer. Read things outside your field. I read a lot of biographies and psychology — that’s helped me more than any continuing education class.
Also, success isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like consistency, preparation, or showing up for someone when there’s nothing in it for you.
Q: Any final thoughts?
Murphy:
If you’re doing something you believe in, and you’re doing it with integrity, you’re already on your way. It’s not about hitting one big moment — it’s about building trust, day by day, over time. And the truth is, you’ll always be learning. That’s part of it. You don’t finish success. You keep showing up for it.