Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Scarborough.
Hi Carl, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I worked 30 years as a firefighter and paramedic in the Kansas City area, retiring in 2020 as the fire chief at the Sni Valley Fire Protection District. While I worked full time at the Central Jackson County Fire District, I went back to school, and in 2012 graduated from UMKC School of Law. I opened my law firm in 2013. Since 2020, my firm has focused solely on Fire Service and EMS legal matters, and assisting emergency personnel and their families with legal issues-we actually don’t accept clients outside the emergency services.
The firm has grown in the last few years. Currently, we represent over 50 emergency service agencies across the State of Missouri, and several statewide affiliated agencies such as the Missouri Association of Fire Chiefs. These representations include advocacy at the local and state level for implementation of laws and regulations supporting the mission of Fire/EMS services. One of the things I am proudest of is the small role I played in helping to establish the Missouri Firefighter’s Critical Illness Trust, a statewide pool that provides support for those diagnosed with cancer or PTSD related to their work as first responders.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest challenges along the way have been…life in general and what it throws at you as you try to succeed. Going to law school while working full time is a challenging proposition, but when you add in the everyday things such as paying your mortgage, attending kids football games, etc, the challenge increases. Right when I started law school (first semester) my step daughter was deployed to Iraq, and our 4 year old grandson came to live with us for 18 months. Obviously this is not the way I had planned out the law school process, but we made it work and survived. The support of your family in any endeavor of this type is important.
When I made the decision to switch to an entirely Fire/EMS focus for the law practice there were many unknowns. The change meant I immediately cut my running client base by about 60%, and had to shift my idea of what a “law office” needed to be. Ultimately, the change still felt like the right thing to do, and I felt a sense of peace about the decision–despite the short term losses!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The firm is focused on representing the Fire and EMS community. This includes representing organizations (employee and employer) and assisting those who work in these services with their personal legal issues well. We will assist a fire department with Fair Labor Standards Act issues, and draft a will for a firefighter and spouse in the same day. We focus our work on the uniqueness of these agencies and the people who work there, because we understand the challenges and issues better than most.
Primarily the firm has focused on representing Fire/EMS organizations. Across the country, you will only find a handful of firms that can make that claim. What sets us apart in this area is our focus on this niche area, and the fact that both attorneys that work at the firm currently either were or are firefighters. We speak the language, we understand the inner workings of Fire/EMS, and we bring workable solutions to the problems these departments face. Being a firefighter and fire chief doesn’t necessarily make me a better attorney than anyone else, it just makes me different.
I frequently speak at conferences and make appearances to promote our firm. What I am most proud of at this point is the number of people who already know who we are, either recognizing the firm or the blog- Firehouselegal.com-and knowing that we are the firm that represents and advocates the fire service. They are pleased that “one of their own” has their back. That is a great feeling!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Most important lesson…patience, preparation and flexibility! Things move and develop slowly until they don’t. The key is to be ready once things begin to change rapidly, and have contingencies in place for when things don’t go as expected. As a firefighter you try and eliminate all the risks that are predictable, and plan for the risks that are outside your control. This works in business as well–you will never be able to control everything, and you can go crazy trying. Work with what is predictable and prepare for the unknowns as best you can. In the meantime, take what life is giving you and pay attention to indicators along the way…sometimes the universe will send subtle signals about a direction or an idea, you just have to pay attention. When all else fails follow your instincts.
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