Local Justice: Law, Fiction & the Rule of Law with Attorney Charlie Burnette
In this episode of Local Justice, host Ben Leader sits down with Attorney Charlie Burnette, a prominent figure in the local legal community for nearly four decades. Charlie shares a captivating journey that spans a long legal career, a unique background in creative writing, and the special experience of practicing alongside his son, Bax.
Charlie opens up about the surprising failure that launched his writing career—an unsuccessful tryout for a speaking role in the film The Patriot after serving as a photo double, which led actor Tom Wilkinson to suggest he write his own novels. Now the author of five books, Charlie explains how his fictional stories are deeply rooted in the heavy, real-world criminal and civil cases he tried early in his career. He reflects fondly on his blue-collar upbringing in Moncks Corner, his memories running alongside the late Jack Leader, and his transition away from firm administration to focus on casework at Frost Echols. Charlie also shares a powerful story of successfully fighting local fraud to protect underrepresented citizens, emphasizing his belief that true justice means fairness and equal accessibility to the rule of law for everyone.
Local Justice is a community-focused series by Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys, hosted by attorney Ben Leader, highlighting legal topics and the people making a difference in York County and surrounding areas.