About Dayne C.
Dayne C. Phillips is a South Carolina criminal defense lawyer who has built a practice that spans state and federal courts. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2010 and began handling serious criminal matters soon after. Courtroom work and appellate practice have been constants in his career.
Early in his professional life he pursued specialized training. He attended the National Criminal Defense College in 2015 and the National Forensic College at the Cardozo School of Law in 2017. Those courses supplied technical tools he applies in trial preparation and in post-conviction work. In 2020 he served on the Eleventh Circuit Public Defender Selection Panel, a role that placed him in the selection process for federal defenders and exposed him to federal appointment procedures.
Phillips holds a certification from the Supreme Court of South Carolina as Lead Counsel for Death Penalty Defense. That certification indicates he has met the state’s standards to take leading roles in capital cases. He is admitted to practice in South Carolina and has credentials to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Fourth Circuit, and the Federal Circuit, which allows him to handle appeals and federal filings when cases escalate beyond trial courts.
He has been active in professional associations for more than a decade. He has been a member of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2011 and served on its Board of Directors from 2014 to 2015. He rose through the organization’s leadership ranks, serving as President-Elect and then as President from 2017 to 2018, and later as Vice President. He also represented peers in the South Carolina Bar’s House of Delegates as the Eleventh Circuit Representative from 2016 to 2018. Nationally, he has been a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2016 and has served as the South Carolina state delegate to the National College of DUI Defense since 2017.
His practice blends trial work, appellate advocacy, and representation in complex post-conviction matters. He handles jury trials, argues appeals, and takes on cases that raise constitutional questions. Colleagues describe his work as rooted in courtroom preparation and procedural rigor. He has experience securing federal appointments and participating in multi-jurisdictional defense efforts.
Phillips maintains an office through Price Benowitz LLP and accepts appointments in Lexington. He continues to represent clients in criminal matters, including capital defense, appellate proceedings, and federal litigation, from those offices.
