A Conversation with Carter Mario
Attorney
Where did you grow up, and how has it taken you to where you are today?
Although I was born in NYC, I moved to Milford when I was four and have lived in Connecticut all my life. After finishing law school at Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Fla., I decided that I missed the beauty of Connecticut and the changing seasons. I wanted to start a family and a career where I had roots. To me, there is no place as beautiful as New England, no matter what the season, so I came back to Connecticut. I actually live on the same property where I grew up in Milford, and rebuilt the family home. My mother lives with our family now, which has been wonderful for the kids.
The first office you started in Milford was a general practice firm. Tell us what convinced you to switch over to injury law?
After leading a private practice for many years, I decided it was time to focus on injury-related cases, because it allows me the opportunity to help people who need it in a very hands-on fashion. It also allows me the freedom to shape this firm into the kind of law firm that not only gets results but that also truly helps people. Because injury law is all we do, we are able to get our clients the maximum settlements they deserve in the minimum amount of time. Our standard operating procedures and guidelines ensure that all our offices are practicing at 100 percent. Unlike most law firms, we are able to really know and connect with our clients not only on a legal level but also on a personal level as well.
What do you mean by a personal level?
Our clients hear from us every two weeks, even if we have nothing to update them on as far as their case. Our team approach allows clients to get to know the four people working on their cases, so that when they call with questions, there is always someone to help them. Because we want to know our clients as people, instead of a case number, we encourage our staff to relate to them on a personal level. Our clients feel connected, but the best benefit to us is that the staff enjoys what they do. I have walked by and heard staff talking about soccer games or babysitting issues one minute to scheduling doctors’ appointments the next. We have clients dropping by with baked cookies, and often a staff member will sign out to take a client to a doctor’s appointment. Recently a staff member drove a client to the airport on Saturday because they were having car problems. These are the types of employees I am proud to say we have in our office family.
So Customer Service is important to your firm?
I feel customer service is probably the most important thing we can give our clients. They are going through a tough time, and their lives are often turned upside down when they come to us. They need legal help, but they also need someone who cares that they can just talk to. There are a lot of smart lawyers out there, but very few of them treat their clients with the dignity and respect they deserve. Did you know the number one grievance against lawyers in this state is for not calling their clients back? In our office, if we don’t call clients back the same day they call us, lunch is on me! Getting to really know our clients makes it more personal, and it is the right thing to do. We have created a 75-page customer service procedures manual, of which each employee reviews and is constantly tested. Our office has fostered a service culture that goes above and beyond for the clients we represent.
Is it true the firm was recently published in a best-selling business book?
Yes, that was exciting for all of us. Carter Mario Injury Lawyers was featured as a top customer service business in the best-selling business book called What’s the Secret? by John DiJulius. It was very rewarding for us to be included in a list of other top businesses from across the country, such as Southwest Airlines, the Ritz-Carlton, Disney, Starbucks, etc. Our staff’s consistent delivery of world-class service is my greatest source of pride when I talk about the firm. Recently, I was asked to speak at a law software convention addressing more than 300 law firms from across the country on the subject of customer service. Afterward, many firms asked why I would be willing to share my secrets with my competition, since many Connecticut firms were present. My feeling is that the service culture threshold in the legal profession is so low, that if I can raise the bar a little bit, then I have done something positive for this profession. In November, I was a featured speaker at the first ever National Customer Service Convention in Ohio, alongside noted business authors Verne Harnish, of The Rockefeller Habits, and John DiJulius, of What’s the Secret? When it comes to choosing a lawyer, clients not only need an experienced and tough advocate who will fight for them, but they also deserve communication and respect. People are looking for more, and they have a choice.
Speaking of fighting, you were a former national wrestling champion with a second degree black belt in judo. What did you learn from those sports that shapes how Carter Mario Injury Lawyers fights for clients?
Discipline, hard work, and knowing the right moment to strike. Those sports involve many, many hours of intense and uncomfortable practice and preparation. Growing up in a tough neighborhood as a skinny little guy with glasses was not easy. I learned at an early age how to defend myself. Not only did I need to concentrate on both my physical and mental skills, but I also had to study my opponents and figure out how they were most likely going to attack and what their weaknesses were. This culture is the foundation on which the firm is built. My background as an athlete gives me an edge. I really do know how to fight to win. When I say I fight for my clients, I am not just mouthing the words. I’m a proven fighter in and out of the courtroom.
To end on a personal level, what do you enjoy most outside of fighting for your clients?
Besides spending time with my family, I enjoy being outside and competing in a variety of outdoor activities. In warmer weather, I ride about 1,000 miles on my bicycle each month. I also help coach my boys in wrestling and enjoy fishing and riding my Harley Davidson Fatboy. I recently got my United States Coast Guard captain’s license and am looking forward to spending some quality time on the water. My life doesn’t allow me much time to sit back and relax. For me to be happy, I have to be doing something productive.
It sounds like not too much dust accumulates around Carter Mario. I guess you could say that. Whether it’s family or work issues, I don’t sit around and wait for things to get done, nor do I let those around me stay idle. If you are a client at our firm, you can rest assured we will do what we say we will, and in a timely fashion. I won’t stand for anything less than 100 percent. My clients deserve the best, and I’m going to make sure they get it.
Free Case Evaluation
At Carter Mario, we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We guarantee your phone calls will be returned that day, or lunch is on us! Clients come first for all of our Connecticut personal injury lawyers, and we strive to provide excellent representation to injury victims throughout the state, including Bridgeport, Hartford, Milford, New Britain, and Waterbury. Call us at (800) 900-6700 or fill out a free online consultation form.
The Connecticut injury lawyers at Carter Mario represent clients with injuries stemming from auto accidents, dog bites, drug injuries, fire and burn injuries, medical malpractice, Social Security Disability denials, slip and fall accidents, truck accidents, workers’ compensation denials, as well as the families of wrongful death victims.
