He studied for the LSAT while working as a truck driver. Years later, he’s standing in a courtroom defending people whose freedom may depend on what happens next.
On this episode of Legally Exhausted, Abe Ovadia sits down with attorney Duane Powers, a Broward County Assistant Public Defender, for a conversation about an unconventional journey into law, the realities of criminal defense, jury trials, body-camera evidence, immigration, second chances, and what it actually takes to stand up in court and fight for a client.
Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Duane immigrated to the United States and spent years working as an over-the-road truck driver. But while he was driving across the country, he was also thinking about what came next.
He went back to school, studied for the LSAT while working, attended FIU College of Law, and eventually entered the courtroom as a public defender.
And the journey wasn't simple.
Duane opens up about going through law school while facing his own immigration and deportation battle — and ultimately walking into his immigration hearing not just as a respondent, but as an attorney.
Abe and Duane also get into the side of criminal defense most people never see.
What happens the night before a jury trial? How much can one small inconsistency change a case? What happens when police body-camera footage tells a different story? How do jurors view defendants before anyone even says a word?
Duane walks through a DUI case that resulted in a not-guilty verdict, explaining how body-camera footage, witness testimony, and seemingly small details became critical pieces of the defense.
They also discuss why Duane believes body-worn cameras are valuable, the pressure of knowing someone's freedom can depend on your preparation, courtroom behavior, rehabilitation versus incarceration, immigration consequences of criminal cases, mentorship, networking, and why young attorneys need real courtroom experience.
Duane's career has already included multiple jury-trial victories — including what he and Abe discuss as back-to-back “hat tricks” of not-guilty trial results.
But underneath the legal conversation is a story about persistence.
From Jamaica, to driving trucks across America, to FIU Law, to fighting his own immigration case, to becoming the attorney standing beside someone else in court.
Sometimes where you start has very little to do with where you finish.

🎙️ Guest: Duane Powers, Esq.
⚖️ Broward County Public Defender's Office
📱 Instagram: @attorney.powers

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