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Introducing Direct Examination: A Podcast that Looks at Law from a New Perspective

When people think of the law or a lawyer, some of the first descriptors that come to mind are “intimidating,” “serious,” and “overly complex.” Practicing attorneys Dayne Phillips, Amber Fulmer, and Joseph Bias hope to open listeners up to the more light-hearted side of the law with their weekly podcast, Direct Examination.

In each episode, the lawyers sit down with someone within the legal or political field to talk about almost anything related to law. While the podcast is meant to be insightful and thought-provoking, it also has a funny and vivacious feel.

Dayne Phillips, of Price Benowitz LLP, originally got the idea for Direct Examination while listening to another law podcast based in Missouri. He realized that there was no equivalent media for the South Carolina area, so he reached out to his old University of South Carolina law school friends, Amber Fulmer, and Joseph Bias. Their goal is to show the positive side of the law and their efforts to make South Carolina a better place.

Unlikely Guests on Direct Examination

When the trio first started recording, they hoped to prove to their listeners that lawyers and others in related fields are approachable, personable, and relatable. To facilitate this goal, they try to bring on unique guests with varying backgrounds and experiences. Some of the more notable guests that have been on Direct Examination include South Carolina Bar Executive Director David Ross; Supreme Court Justice John Few; former medical malpractice lawyer and rapper, Eric Poston; Dick Harpootlian; Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson, and Jack Swerling.

During the interview with Justice Few, the Duke alum talks about being the Blue Devils mascot during school and his experience of jumping out of a helicopter. In the Eric Poston episode, the lawyer explains his love for music and how he put his legal career on hold to pursue his own music career as hip-hop artist Ducati James. In the words of Dayne Phillips, Eric Poston is the “epitome of why you shouldn’t make assumptions or stereotype people.”

Want to Listen In?

While this podcast is still new and in its formative stages, the lawyers anticipate that the podcast will continue for a long time. For an upcoming episode, the Direct Examination crew is planning to do a question-and-answer format with fellow lawyers while hanging out in a bar, referred to as the “the Bar Review: Pintcast” segment. If the experience goes well, they may incorporate it into future episodes.

Direct Examination is available on most popular podcast and music streaming sites, including iTunes and Stitcher.com. New episodes come out weekly on Fridays. Tune in and give it a listen.

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