Richard T. Champagne, a native of Miami, Florida, is known as a rising star and a stalwart in the cause of justice, equality, and fairness among his peers. Being the son of Haitian immigrants, Mr. Champagne developed a deep appreciation for, and a strong belief in, equality and justice at an early age. Early in life, he learned of the plight and suffering that afflicted the Haitian people under the brutal dictatorship of the Duvalier Regime, knowledge that shaped his consciousness even then.
With such civic virtues and others, which his parents had instilled in him as a young man, naturally, Mr. Champagne found the field of Criminal Justice and Law to be intriguing. He attended Florida Atlantic University (FAU) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. At FAU, Mr. Champagne was Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President and Vice President of the SGA University Wide Council, which oversaw a budget of over 1.5 million dollars.
Determined to become a positive force for social change and a guardian of our civil liberties, Mr. Champagne attended Saint Thomas University School of Law where he graduated in the top five percent in his class. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2008 and to the Massachusetts Bar in 2011.
Mr. Champagne served as an Assistant Public Defender in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, providing legal representation to individuals accused of crimes, protecting defendants’ guaranteed constitutional safeguards, and making sure that our democratic principles of fairness and substantial justice that we deem sacrosanct are scrupulously followed by the State. He later became the founding and managing partner of the Champagne Law Group, P.A., with office locations in Florida and Massachusetts.
Mr. Champagne prioritizes maintaining strong ties with the communities he serves. His commitment to engaging in community building, public service, and community organizing was most illustrated during his service as President of the Haitian Lawyers Association (HLA), a state-wide affinity bar association in Florida with over two hundred members. In this role, Mr. Champagne worked to forge relationships and build coalitions with business and community leaders, government officials and clergymen.
Under his leadership, the HLA worked closely with representatives of the Obama Administration and with local government entities to bring relief to homeowners facing foreclosures in the 2008-2011 foreclosure crisis. Together, they provided legal assistance to over eight hundred undocumented Haitians seeking legal status in the United States after the devastation caused by the 2010 earthquake.
Mr. Champagne provides pro bono representation to small businesses and nonprofit organizations like New England Human Rights Organization, Inc. based here in Boston.
He and his fiancée, Cassandra, are proud parents of a beautiful five-year-old girl, Sydney. The family loves traveling, boating, and swimming.