Professor at Law– North Carolina Central University School of Law since 1982. During 1984 through 1992, Joyner served as the Associate Dean at the Law School. He regularly teaches courses in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Civil Right, Race and the Law, Professional Responsibility and Trial Practice. As a member of the faculty, Joyner serves on a number of Law School and University committees. Joyner chaired the 2013 Dean Search Committee which resulted in the selection of Attorney Phyllis Craig-Taylor as the present Dean of the Law School.

Joyner has written three editions of his book, Criminal Procedure In North Carolina, which is published by the Lexis Law Publishing Company (formerly Michie Company), and regularly prepares annual supplements to that publication. The first edition was published in 1989, the second in 1999 and the third was published in January, 2006.  Joyner recently published an article in the North Carolina Central University Law Journal “Pimping Brown v. Board of Education: The Destruction of African-American Schools and the Mis-Education of African-American Students,” Vol. 35, Number 2 (Fall 2013). Joyner has written a number of other Law Review articles and manuscripts for continuing legal education programs. He speaks and lectures regularly at legal education, civil rights, political empowerment and educational advancement programs.

Joyner provides pro-bono legal counsel to several political, religious and community organizations and to needy individuals in civil rights and criminal appeals cases. He serves on several State study commissions and agencies and in leadership roles with a variety of community groups and organizations. This service includes a five year term as the Vice-Chairperson of the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission. Joyner is a regular legal commentator for local, state and national media primarily in the areas of law, politics, civil rights and racial justice. Joyner also serves as the Legal Counsel and the Chairperson of the Legal Redress Committee of the North Carolina State Branches of the NAACP and is a member of the North Carolina Indigents Defense Commission.

Presently, Joyner is engaged in litigation in the federal courts which challenges a voter suppression law which was recently enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly and is involved in a separate challenge to the 2010 General Assembly redistricting plans for state and congressional legislative districts. In January, 2014, Joyner was named as one of the NAACP’s Humanitarian of the Year awardees for his efforts in defending individuals who were arrested during  “Moral Monday” demonstrations.

Joyner was the host of a political/community discussion program, “Let’s Face It,” which formerly aired on WNCU 90.7 FM at North Carolina Central University and regularly provides commentary for local and national news media regarding legal and political issues. From 1999 through 2009, he also co-hosted the highly acclaimed “Legal Eagle Review” which was dedicated to a discussion of current local and national legal issues.

In April, 2004, Joyner was honored as the Lawyer of the Year by the George H. White Bar Association, an organization of African-American Lawyers in Durham County and is a past recipient of the Lawyer of the Year Award by the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers. In April, 2006, he was honored by NCCU Law School students as Professor of the Year. Most recently, Joyner was honored with its Legacy Civil Rights Award by the Institute of the Black World 21st Century Foundation in 2012, an Outstanding Achievement Award from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and an Outstanding Service Award from the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ for his work in obtaining Pardons of Innocence and compensation for the Wilmington Ten. Joyner was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the NC NAACP in January, 2014 for his work in organizing the defense team and successfully providing pro-bono legal representation for individuals who were arrested and prosecuted during Moral Monday activities at the North Carolina General Assembly. In March, 2014, Joyner was honored with an Outstanding Service Award from the Triangle Chapter of the LaGrange-Frink Alumni and Friends Association and was honored as “Man of the Year” by the Stanly County Branch of the NAACP. In July, 2014, he received the 2014 Legacy Award from the White Oak Foundation which is affiliated with the White Oak Baptist Church and was honored with the Steve Wing International Environmental Justice Award from the N.C. Environmental Justice Network in October, 2014. In October 2015, Joyner received the prestigious Wiley A. Branton Symposium Award from the National Bar Association

He is a member of the Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in LaGrange, North Carolina, the church in which he was raised, and now serves as its legal counsel and advisor.