What Is Real Law Radio?

Real Law Radio is a terrestrial radio program that airs on  NewsTalk AM1420, WHK in Cleveland, Ohio. It has been on the air for 5 years and has grown a large and loyal listener base.  The show features Bob DiCello, a lawyer (former prosecutor), and Scott Roller (a police officer) as hosts.  The show aims at one goal: having a great time while talking with people, not at them.  It invites critical thought as much as laughter.  And it reminds you at all times to “Think Before You Fear.” Real Law Radio digs into legal and other controversial subjects from unique perspectives. It brings you experts and other guests who provide information and entertainment. Most importantly, the show challenges the headlines that usually present mistaken assumptions and distortions about public policy and law.

Who Are the Hosts?

Robert F. DiCello, Esq., "Bob," is the founder of Real Law Radio and has been the host for 5 years. He is a former Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. He now focuses his practice on civil rights litigation, with The DiCello Firm - one of the premier law firms in the country. For undergraduate study, Bob attended a Catholic college, the University of Dayton. He received his Masters of Arts from Northwestern University in Classical Guitar Performance. He received his law degree from Cleveland State University, and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. Bob has two loves in his life: his daughter Anna, 8, and his son, R.J., 6.

Scott Roller joined RLR as co-host in January 2011. He is a police officer in Northeast Ohio and holds the rank of lieutenant. He is actively involved in teaching civilians on the proper use of handguns.

What Makes RLR Different?

Young people make Real Law Radio unlike any other show on the radio. College students enjoy the show so much, they have organized themselves to participate as correspondents, pollsters, and sources of information for the show. Unbelievable. The whole effort is lead by RLR Intern Eric McVicker. Eric, a student at Tulane University in Louisiana, is the president of "The Student Union." Eric and other students under his leadership talk to people, conduct interviews, and gather story information. The students attend schools from New York to California. Who said there’s no way to get young listeners interested in talk radio?  

Message: "Think Before You Fear"

Fear is a powerful emotion. It is usefull in advertising, because it motivates purchases. It is valued in the media, because it captures viewers/listeners. But it is a poor substitute for critical thought, especially when we are called to make decisions that affect our lives, our values, or our politics.

Bob DiCello coined the phrase, "Think Before You Fear," in 2006 because he heard, first hand, the way in which the American people were duped into believing that frivolous lawsuitts were ruining America. Advertising and political campaigns urging Tort Reform played on fear and persuaded the public that lawyers were jeopardizing our legal system. They weren't. And Tort Reform became law in Ohio, despite the fact that it only helped corporations while harming the interests of the ordinary citizen who was most in need of help: the catastrohically injured person.

While driving home from his law practice one day in the summer of 2006, Bob heard a radio show host make insulting remarks about the intelligence of a woman (now infamous) who sued McDonalds for injuries caused by hot coffee. She supposedly won millions, and the host thought she did that by suing McDonalds for hot coffe. He was wrong, but he didn't know any better. The legal profession had utterly failed to report the truth : she didn't win much of anything despite having third degree burns on her vagina from coffee that had given about 750 other people third degree burns. The real story never saw the light of day in the media, but the myth of a corrupt legal system thrived. And that myth motivated Bob to urge people -- in all aspects of life -- “Think Before You Fear.”