TOUSSAINT ROMAIN

A Commitment to Safety, Fairness and Reform

Toussaint Romain was an assistant public defender, and gave up his career to run for Mecklenburg County district attorney. He represented indigent clients charged as habitual felons, and handled cases that range from murder to drugs.

Toussaint also teaches as an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte (UNCC), where he leads students in Constitutional Law and Mass Incarceration courses.

Toussaint’s current civic involvement include:

Member of the Charlotte Human Trafficking Taskforce
Chair of the Young Lawyer’s Division for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Board of Trustee for Trinity Pawling – a private All-Boys high school in New York
Board Member at Anuvia Drug Treatment & Prevention Center
Member of National Association for Public Defense – Racial Justice Committee
Member of YNCA’s Diversity Inclusion Global Initiative
Board Chair for PRIDE Magazine African American Educational Non-Profit organization.

Most importantly, Toussaint hosts monthly leadership training programs at a federal prison, a local youth detention center and is creating a similar program at Turning Point Academy, CMS’ Alternative School.

Toussaint earned his BA from UNCC where he was a Conference USA Track & Field champion and student leader. Prior to earning his law degree from Regent University in 2007, Toussaint worked for federal prosecutors, judges, large firms and U.S. Senator John Edwards. He also studied at the European Court for Human Rights, in Strasbourg, France.

Toussaint has received numerous awards and recognitions from a variety of diverse organizations. He has spoken locally, regionally and nationally on issues of leadership and race. Additionally, he is often sought to teach other lawyers on a variety of legal issues. He is married with three children and a beagle named Caicos.

REGENT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW

Virginia Beach, Virginia ⥊ 2007

Juris Doctorate, Concentration in Public Interest Law

Honor Council Presiding Officer
Counselor-at-Law Award
Honorable Elliot G. Heard, Jr. Award
Service Leadership Award
Old Dominion Bar Association – Rising Star Award
American Bar Assc. Student Division
Negotiations Board Member

UNIVERSITÉ DE STRASBOURG

Strasbourg, France ⥊ 2006

Studied International Comparative Law and Human Rights with a former United States Attorney General and visited the European Court for Human Rights and the Council of Europe

UNIVERSITY OF NC AT CHARLOTTE

Charlotte, North Carolina ⥊ 2001

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a Minor in Economics

Order of Omega National Honor Society
Conference USA Student-Athlete Excellence Award
George F. Harpster Award
Leadership Fellows
Student Government Presidential Staff
Chair of Public Safety
Sophomore Class President
NCAA Division 1 Track & Field Athlete
Conference USA Indoor Championship
Jesse Owens Athletic Award

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Assistant Public Defender

Public Defender’s Office ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ June 2008 – Present

Highly motivated team player currently providing zealous legal representation to indigent Habitual Felons who are charged with serious Class C through Class I felonies. Also represented indigent clients charged with Murder, Drugs, Person, Property, DWIs, and Domestic Violence crimes.
Lead a Motions Practice arguing against and exposing government violations of constitutionally protected rights that safeguard individual freedoms. Critically examine and scrutinize government documents (i.e. exhibits, transcripts, Discovery) as it pertains to the prosecution of my clients.
Review current policy and proposed legislation as it impacts representation of my clients and make recommendations for reform to elected officials and lobbying organizations (like the NCAJ).
Train and assist other Asst. Public Defenders and Appointed Indigent Counsel in motions, factual and legal investigations and developing case theories for trial. Host a monthly Brainstorming session to help lawyers prepare for their jury trials.
Trial Experience: Conducted over 40 jury trials and even more bench trials.

Adjunct Professor

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ Fall 2010 – Present

Teach advanced undergraduate Criminal Justice & Criminology courses.
Courses include Mass Incarceration and Constitutional Criminal Procedure (i.e. Search & Seizure, War on Terror, Cyber Crimes and Electronic Surveillance issues). Also led in-depth studies on Stored Communications Act, FISA, Pen Register/Trap & Trace laws, CALEA, ECPA, legal review of government data requests and comparative laws.
Responsible for designing course curriculum; facilitating exams and written assignments. Host guest lecturers. Course requirements include exams, quizzes, and papers on approved topics. Conduct weekly lectures and grade course assignments according to University regulations.

Trial Coach

Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial – NBLSA ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ Spring 2011 – Spring 2012

Coached law school students in mock trial competitions.
Areas of instruction included Theme/Theory Development, Brainstorming, Rules of Evidence, Opening Statements, Direct and Cross-Examination, introducing Exhibits, and Closing Arguments.

Wade Edwards Mock Trial Competition ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ Fall 2009 – Spring 2011

Coached high school students in mock trial competitions. Awarded the following honors:

American International Invitational Mock Trial Competition – 2nd place finish, Best Advocate Awards, Rutgers, New Jersey
North Carolina State Champions
Western District of North Carolina Regional Champions.

Supervisor and Events Coordinator

Bright Horizons Family Solutions ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ May 2002 – July 2004

Managed employees and enrichment vendors; developed and directed age-appropriate curriculum and activities; and coordinated events and programs.

Drug Researcher

National Institute of Justice – U.S. Dept. of Justice ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ June 2001 – June 2004

Interviewed arrestees in detention facilities about drug abuse and criminal activity.
Honored as the Certified Researcher by National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice in 2001.

Student Clerk

United States Attorney’s Office ▴ Charlotte, NC ▴ September 1999 – September 2000

Worked directly with and assisted FBI, Secret Service, ATF, DEA and local law enforcement officials in the prosecution of federal cases. Assisted federal prosecutors on a variety of federal trials. Prepared legal documents and exhibits for court and filed Financial Litigation documents.
Honored with Dedication and Service to U.S. Department of Justice Award in 2000.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

YMCA Africa Leadership Training

Ambassador

Traveled to West Senegal with the YMCA of Greater Charlotte CEO and other YMCA leadership to train leaders in Africa and to learn about programs that support formerly incarcerated persons.

Champions Breakfast

Participant

Participate in the men’s auxiliary group of the Women’s Intercultural Exchange (WIE) to help facilitate a monthly men’s breakfast.
Discuss reform ideas, organizing and campaigning for change.

Reid Park Thanksgiving

Volunteer

Facilitate an annual Thanksgiving dinner in West Charlotte with CMPD, King’s Kitchen and the Reid Park community.
Recruit volunteers like Carolina Panther Jonathan Stewart, YMCA leader Michael DeVaul and others to serve food and interact with the community.

NFL’s Carolina Panthers

Volunteer

Work alongside NFL players and Carolina Panthers front office to host social justice events in Charlotte.
Developed a youth program with the Cam Newtown Foundation.
Helped develop a program where five (5) Carolina Panther NFL players worked with youth to paint about and to discuss social justice, #TakeAKnee, unity and other current issues.

Public Defender Design-Survey Study

Expert Panel Member

Worked alongside (1) the Bureau of Justice Statistics, (2) The Urban Institute (D.C.), (3) the National Association for Public Defense, (4) the U.S. Department of Justice and (5) the Indigent Defense Research Association to create uniform guidelines to improve the representation of indigent clients.

Leadership Academy at Turning Point Academy

Co-Developer

Collaborated with a federal prosecutor, local police department and city officials to create a leadership training program in alternative schools for CMS students.

Federal Correctional Institute – Bennettsville

Volunteer

Led a book club that centers on habits and behavior at a federal prison for inmates.
Work with 30 inmates total; 15 inmates who have been identified as having the worst behavior in the prison and 15 other inmates who are entering society soon.

ASC Studio 345

Co-Founder

Worked with several agencies including but not limited to The Arts & Science Council, The Foundation for the Carolinas, Charlotte Works, Juvenile Courts, CATS and local politicians to create and fund a free technologically-based afterschool program for CMS High School students, located in Uptown Charlotte at Spirit Square.

Opera Carolina

Education Committee and Member

Worked with this organization to bring the opera experience to minorities, adjudicated youth and women involved in the Juvenile Justice and Women’s Drug Court programs.

ASC Diversity & Inclusion Task Force

Board Member

An Arts & Science Council initiative
Worked with the board, presidents, and CEOs from every non-profit arts, science and history organization in Mecklenburg County to create a diversified board and diversified programming.

Leadership Charlotte

Member

Volunteered at community service events around Charlotte.
Served on various committees within the organization.

CMS Cultural Competency Taskforce

Superintendent Appointee

Guided the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Strategic Planning effort under Dr. Heath Morrison.
Worked alongside 25 community leaders to draft a proposal for the school superintendent on methods to implement cultural competency in the school system.