South Carolina

EPISODE 16: THE SC BAR CONFERENCE WITH CONFERENCE CHAIR JUDGE CAROLYN MATTHEWS

Summary / Introduction

In this episode of the Direct Examination Podcast, co-hosts Joseph Bias and Amber Fulmer reunite in-studio. Amber shares an update on baby Evie’s transition out of the swaddle, while Joseph announces his New Year’s Eve engagement to a doctor in front of the fireworks at Bone-In Barbeque. They are joined by Judge Carolyn Cason Matthews, former South Carolina Administrative Law Judge, former Supreme Court staff attorney, and Chair of the 2020 South Carolina Bar Convention. Judge Matthews previews the upcoming SC Bar Convention in Columbia, highlighting CLE offerings, social networking events, the 100th anniversary celebration of the 19th Amendment, and shares an iconic war story from her 1978 job interview with the entire South Carolina Supreme Court.

Key Topics Covered

• Joseph’s Engagement & Amber’s Baby Update: Celebrating Joseph’s New Year’s Eve proposal and Amber’s transition back to podcasting.

• Overview of the SC Bar Convention: Event logistics (held January 23–26 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center), providing a full year’s worth of CLE and ethics credits under one roof.

• Bar Convention Social Events & Perks:

  • Social Registration Option: $75 pass for non-CLE attendees to access all social receptions.

  • Free Professional Headshots: Complimentary professional photography for all attendees.

  • Axe Throwing & Craft Beer Social: Friday night social at Craft Axe Throwing on Gervais Street.

  • Receptions & Luncheons: Senior Lawyers (Boomer) Reception, Judicial Legislative Reception, and the Plenary Luncheon featuring Chief Justice Donald Beatty’s State of the Judiciary address.

  • Durant Award Recipient: Honoring USC Law School Dean Robert Wilcox with the Bar’s highest award.

  • 19th Amendment Centennial: Saturday reception at the Palmetto Club celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, co-sponsored by SOWLA (South Carolina Women Lawyers Association).

  • Columbia Food & History Tour: Saturday “Two Gals and a Fork” walking and tasting tour of the Vista.

• Notable CLE Track Highlights:

  • Health Care Law: Insurance fraud, healthcare litigation, and False Claims Act compliance featuring Dick Harpootlian.

  • Trial & Appellate Advocacy: “The Art of the Story” featuring Judge Young, Penny White, and Asby Pate.

  • Senior Lawyers Symposium: Clemson University researchers presenting on social media trends and Russian troll network discovery.

  • Family Law: Youth trafficking, electronic evidence, and the legality of email/phone snooping.

  • YLD & Diversity Track: Diversity in the jury box (featuring Jack Swerling and Judge Michelle Childs) and diversity in the courtroom (featuring Megan Gresham, Nicole Davis, and Barbara Seymour).

  • Sunday Ethics Breakfast: Interactive “Real-Time Ethics” using movie clips presented by former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Penny White.

• Courtroom War Story: Judge Matthews’ 1978 interview with the full SC Supreme Court while five months pregnant, where her quick wit under pressure landed her the job as the court’s first female staff attorney.

Transcript

An edited transcript of the episode is included below.

Amber Fulmer: Welcome y’all to the Direct Examination Podcast! My name is Amber Fulmer.

Joseph Bias: And I’m Joseph Bias. Amber, how are you?

Amber Fulmer: I am doing well! How are you?

Joseph Bias: It is good to see you! Happy New Year!

Amber Fulmer: Thank you! Things are going well with the baby, I promise I’m still alive! Y’all still have a third co-host. Evie’s doing great, but I want to say congratulations to Joseph! He got engaged on New Year’s Eve! He proposed right in front of the fireworks at Bone-In Barbeque, and she said yes!

Joseph Bias: She did say yes! I made sure there were plenty of people watching so she felt peer-pressured into it! (laughs)

Amber Fulmer: A doctor and a lawyer—I’ve suggested that instead of place cards at the wedding tables, they just put business cards out in case anyone slips and falls or has a medical emergency! (laughs)

Joseph Bias: One-stop shop! Now, today we are thrilled to welcome a very special guest: Judge Carolyn Cason Matthews! Judge Matthews is a graduate of Furman University and USC Law. She served as a staff attorney for the SC Supreme Court, law clerk to Justice Gregory, argued over 80 cases at the Supreme Court as Assistant Attorney General, served as Chief Counsel to the SC House Judiciary Committee, was a partner at Nelson Mullins, and served as an Administrative Law Judge from 1999 to 2015. Today, she joins us as Convention Chair for the 2020 South Carolina Bar Convention! Welcome, Judge Matthews!

Judge Carolyn Matthews: Thank you, Joseph and Amber! I am delighted to be here. I’ve been on the convention committee for about 15 years, and I’ve been attending the SC Bar Convention for 46 years, starting back in 1974. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet lawyers of all ages, from every corner of the state and every type of practice.

Amber Fulmer: It really is the best place to connect with colleagues.

Judge Carolyn Matthews: Absolutely. For one registration fee, you can get all of your CLE and ethics credits for the entire year. The convention runs January 23rd through 26th at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. But even if you already have your CLE credits, we offer a $75 “Social Registration” that gives you a badge to attend all the receptions and social events.

Joseph Bias: That’s a fantastic deal. What are some of the social highlights this year?

Judge Carolyn Matthews: On Thursday evening, we have a welcome reception at the USC Alumni Center. On Friday, we have the Plenary Luncheon where Chief Justice Donald Beatty gives the State of the Judiciary address, and we’re presenting the Durant Award—our Bar’s highest honor—to USC Law School Dean Robert Wilcox. That evening, we have the Senior Lawyers Reception, the Judicial Legislative Reception, and then from 8 to 10 PM, we have an axe-throwing and craft beer social at Craft Axe Throwing on Gervais Street!

Joseph Bias: Axe throwing after two receptions with an open bar?! What could possibly go wrong?! (laughs)

Judge Carolyn Matthews: (laughs) We’re keeping it exciting! On Saturday, we have a “Two Gals and a Fork” historic food tasting tour of Columbia, and from 4 to 6 PM, we’re hosting a reception at the Palmetto Club co-sponsored by SOWLA to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Plus, all weekend long, we have a professional photographer giving free headshots to attendees.

Joseph Bias: Tell us about some of the CLE tracks available.

Judge Carolyn Matthews: We have incredible programming:

• Thursday: Consumer Law with Jane Downey, Dispute Resolution, Military & Veterans Law, Technology, and Health Care Law featuring Dick Harpootlian on False Claims Act compliance and opioid litigation.

• Friday Morning: Criminal Law with Jack Swerling, Labor & Employment with Melissa Barnett, Environmental Law, and Trial & Appellate Advocacy featuring Judge Young, Penny White, and Asby Pate on “The Art of the Story”.

• Friday Afternoon: Family Law covering electronic evidence and phone snooping, Corporate/Banking, and the YLD/Diversity track featuring Judge Michelle Childs and Jack Swerling on diversity in the jury box.

• Saturday Morning: Senior Lawyers (Boomer) Symposium featuring Clemson University researchers on Russian social media trolls.

• Sunday Morning: Ethics Breakfast featuring former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Penny White using movie clips to teach real-time ethics.

Joseph Bias: Judge Matthews, at the end of every episode, we ask our guests for their best courtroom war story. What is yours?

Judge Carolyn Matthews: In 1978, right out of law school, I applied for the single open staff attorney position at the SC Supreme Court. There were 81 applicants. I was five months pregnant at the time, wearing a navy skirt unzipped halfway down because I couldn’t button it, praying it wouldn’t fall off as I walked across the parquet floors!

I walked into the interview room expecting just the Chief Justice, but all five Supreme Court Justices were sitting there in a row! Justice Ness looked at me and said, “I understand you’re going to have a baby. What are you going to do when that baby gets here? My secretary came back to work on her lunch hour after having her baby!”

Without thinking, my brain’s filter completely failed, and I blurted out: “Yeah, and I bet she put the wagons in a circle and fought off Indians afterwards, too!” (laughs)

Amber Fulmer: (laughs) Oh my goodness!

Judge Carolyn Matthews: I froze, thinking, “I am dead in the water! What did I just say to a Supreme Court Justice?!” But they all burst out laughing. And they hired me as the court’s very first female staff attorney!

Joseph Bias: That is an absolute hall-of-fame war story! Judge Matthews, thank you so much for joining us, and thank you for your leadership with the Bar Convention!

Judge Carolyn Matthews: Thank you both so much! I enjoyed it!

Joseph Bias: To register for the SC Bar Convention, visit scbar.org. You can reach Judge Matthews for civil mediations or expert testimony at carolyncasonmatthews@gmail.com.

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