Attorney Spotlight – Bill Carr
Name Partner Bill Carr, a graduate of University of Missouri Kansas City, has been practicing law for 27 years and has been a staple in the legal community. He has been recognized for his accomplishments by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association with the Thomas J. Conway award, recognized by the Kansas City Business Journal as among the “Best of the Bar,” and honored as a Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer since 2012. Bill is known by his peers for demonstrating superior skill in the courtroom while still maintaining respectful relationships with opposing counsel.
Bill has expertise in employment, personal injury, medical malpractice and commercial law and has made his career by trying to change the corporate culture and bring to light problems of people who are mistreated by corporate America. Read on to learn more about Bill in our Attorney Spotlight:
Why did you want to become an attorney?
“In a way, I became an attorney through default. I always wanted to be a doctor, but after three years of pre-med I realized it wasn’t for me. At that time I was looking at other graduate programs and decided law school gave me several options. It wasn’t until the more practical classes in law school that I realized that I loved being in the courtroom and that I wanted to become a trial lawyer.”
What do you enjoy most about WGB&C?
“The people, no question. We have such a great group that it makes it extremely enjoyable. I’m the newest partner, but we also have employees partners who have been here for well over 20 years. We have a very strong team approach and really support each other in every aspect. We all celebrate wins together, and we all suffer losses together. I love working with everyone here.”
What is your most significant memory or case from your career?
“Early on in my career I represented a young girl who was injured in a motor vehicle accident. The accident itself wasn’t that catastrophic; in fact, her brother had zero injuries. She was in the back seat, which only had a lap belt, and it cut through her and injured her organs and cut off the blood supply to one of her legs, which led to an amputation. At the time, the family did not know if she would live, but she made an incredible recovery. We brought a claim against the car manufacturer, and by the time we were finished she was taken care of for the rest of her life. She is doing really well for herself now, and that is one that I will always remember.”
What is the best thing about your job?
“For me it is about trying to change our corporate culture, and bringing light to problems that need to be addressed. It can be a defective seat belt, a medical negligence situation, or anything along those lines. More gratifying than anything else is bringing attention to causes or products that need to be called out, and making sure the issues don’t happen to other people.”
How do you work to balance career and family?
“I have an incredible team and we all find it very important to balance family and career. We work very well together, which also allows family to be our No. 1 priority. My motivating factor isn’t making the most money; it is being the best father, husband, friend, brother, and so on that I can be.”
What is the best advice you can give an up-and-coming attorney?
“Don’t forget about relationships, whether that is in the profession or outside the profession. We have gotten to a point where so much of what we do has become impersonal. Everything is electronic now and personal connection is missing in our profession.
With these changes, we have fewer connections with others. This can lead to isolation. Mental health issues and depression can easily be born in isolation, and I want our profession to realize that this is an issue that needs attention. This area has become a passion for me. Our self mental care is our most important file in the office, but it is often the most ignored.”
How do you like to spend your time outside of work? Any hobbies?
“I love spending time with family. I have five kids and many are starting to move out of the house, so I try to spend as much time with them as I can. I also really enjoy riding bikes, taking long walks and playing golf. My goal eventually is to ride the entire Katy Trail across the State of Missouri..”