D Scott Carruthers
D. Scott Carruthers is a debt collection lawyer whose practice, The Law Office of D. Scott Carruthers, is located in Stanton, California and specializes in representing collection agencies, creditors, and debt buyers. Scott has practiced law for more than 40 years, and during his lengthy career has worked on more than 6,000 legal collection cases. Scott, a graduate of Western State University’s law school, is also a founding member of the Debt Buyers Association and a member of the California Bar Association, the California Collectors Association, and the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys.
What are your favorite books?
I read Gideon’s Trumpet shortly after it was first released in the mid-sixties, and it was because of this book that I first developed an interest in pursuing a career as an attorney. The book, which was written by Anthony Lewis, retells the story of the real-life case of Gideon v. Wainwright, which was heard by the Supreme Court and established that all criminal defendants, even those lacking the financial means to afford one, have the right to legal counsel.
What’s your favorite type of food?
As a longtime resident of Southern California, I’ve been fortunate to have easy access to cuisines that draw on culinary traditions from all over the world. I’m particularly fond of the more traditional Spanish and Mexican cuisines, but I also love dining at the several restaurants in the area that feature menus inspired by the cuisine of Asia and Oceania.
What’s the best advice you ever received?
I’m not exactly sure of the source, but it was right around the time I was getting ready to head off to college in Illinois that I first heard the most important career advice I ever received. Since it was so long ago, I can only try to paraphrase the advice in a way that best reflects the meaning of the original quote: “There are those who see their job as a burden and those who see their job as a blessing. When you choose a career path based on the monetary reward rather than the intrinsic reward, you are far more likely to wind up with a burdensome job.” That advice helped me select a career path I recognized as intrinsically rewarding, and even after more than 40 years I’m still excited to come to work each and every day.
What’s your favorite thing about working in your industry?
This particular area of the law is especially complex, but I enjoy the challenges brought about by the complexity associated with collection law and consider it to be one of my favorite things about focusing on this unique area of the law. Even with all of my years of experience, I can still expect to encounter new challenges and relish every opportunity to tackle those challenges head-on.
What was your first job?
My first job — or at least my first serious job — was with GC Services, which was the country’s largest collection agency at the time. I was attending law school while working as a debt collector for GC Services, and this experience piqued my interest in collection law and ultimately inspired me to found The Law Office of D. Scott Carruthers.
