Chillin' Wit' ... Michael Coard, Philly defense lawyer

HE'S KNOWN to be outspoken, but sometimes Michael Coard lets others have their say.

At least that's how things play out Sunday afternoon on Coard's hour-long radio show, "The Radio Courtroom," on WURD 900 AM.

He scribbles some notes and peeks down at his cellphone, interspersing questions as his guests expound on a host of topics.

Of course, once Coard himself gets going, it's hard to stop him.

"The way I describe myself is Nat Turner with a law degree," the prominent Philly criminal-defense lawyer says after the show. "So if you can imagine Nat Turner with a law degree hosting a radio show, this is it."

Even on this "day off," the 46-year-old North Philly native is dressed in a gray suit and dress shirt, with cuff links, black suede loafers and dreadlocks swaying behind him.

Coard, who is single and has no children, says that his Sundays usually include the radio show, visiting clients in prison, spending time in the office and getting home in time to watch "60 Minutes."

"You could say everything I've done is work-related, but it's not, because everything I've done from the time I left the house Sunday morning at about 9 or 10, I wanted to do and would have done without getting paid," he says.

"It's really interesting, because most people talk about [how] they hate Mondays and they love Fridays. As corny as this might sound, every day is Friday for me. Or, even better, it's Saturday. People are excited and happy on Friday, knowing Saturday is coming. For me, that Friday, that Saturday, [this is] what I enjoy doing."

Lest you think that Coard is some uptight suit who's all work and no play, the Cheyney University alumnus says that he loves baseball and even tried out for the Phillies. He also loves hip-hop, about which he teaches a course at Temple University, although he quickly points out that he's not referring to the "nonsense and destruction on commercial radio."

"I'm talking about music that's, as Rakim once said, rap is RAP - Rhythm and Poetry," he said. "That's the perfect definition."

- Solomon Leach