Matthew C. Scarborough, Esq.

PRACTICE AREAS
Insurance, Personal injury and Car accident.


YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
29+ Years

BIOGRAPHY OVERVIEW
What Makes Matthew C. Scarborough Uniquely Qualified To Represent You?

Matthew C. Scarborough is the managing partner of Scarborough Attorneys At Law which he has operated since its inception in 2001. Mr. Scarborough has exclusively practiced in the Insurance Defense arena for the past 23 years since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 1992. He is a graduate of Stetson University (B.B.A. Marketing, 1989) and the University Of Miami School Of Law (J.D. 1992). Mr. Scarborough is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is a member of DRI as well as the Florida Defense Lawyers Association. Mr. Scarborough’s practice areas include automobile defense, premises liability, insurance coverage, property insurance defense, bad faith, and construction defect litigation. In addition to being licensed to practice law in Florida, Mr. Scarborough is a member in good standing in the Middle District and Southern District Federal Courts and has argued cases in Florida State Appellate courts and in front of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Scarborough tries cases throughout the State of Florida and is a graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy. Mr. Scarborough is co-chair of the Council for Litigation Management’s Attorney Membership & Circle of Excellence Committee.

Mr. Scarborough has institutionalized and argued several cutting-edge Third Party Liability developments. Early in his career, he assisted Allstate Insurance Company in developing the M.I.S.T. (Minimal Impact Soft Tissue) designation and trial strategy which has been widely successful and adopted by various insurers.

On-premises liability matters the Second District Court of Appeals upheld Mr. Scarborough’s argument that a landlord/owner of the property cannot be responsible for a tenant’s dangerous dog and resulting bodily injury. See Hoedt v. Tien, 799 So. 2d 1038 (Fla. App. 2 District 2001).Mr. Scarborough also in a case of the first impression created the Second District Court of Appeal’s outline for Motions to Dismiss for Fraud in the Morgan v. Campbell, 816 So. 2d 251 (Fla. App 2 Dist. 2002) decision. Mr. Scarborough and the firm followed up that opinion with multiple trial orders as well as the recent Fifth District Court of Appeals decision in Perrine v. Henderson, 85 So. 3d 1210 (Fla. App 5 Dist. 2012).

Mr. Scarborough has actively litigated declaratory judgment actions for insurers resulting in multiple summary judgment orders affording no coverage based upon insurance languages such as the “assault and battery”; “dog bite”; “intentional act”; “completed products operations”; and the “pollution” exclusions. Mr. Scarborough set the landmark pollution exclusion precedent in the Eleventh Federal Circuit Court opinion of Auto-Owners v. City of Tampa Housing Authority, 14 Fla. Weekly, Fed. C 14, C.A. 11 (Fla.), November 1, 2000.

Mr. Scarborough’s current clients include Certain Underwriters, Lloyd’s London; Westfield Insurance Company, Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Family Insurance Company, U.S. Security Insurance Company, Windhaven Insurance Company, Tower Hill Insurance Company, ArrowPoint Capital, Yellow Cab, and Mercury Insurance Company. Mr. Scarborough practices exclusively (100%) in insurance matters. Mr. Scarborough has been licensed since 2004 to train adjusters through CE courses and has enjoyed doing the same throughout the U.S. as well as internationally.

Career Summary

  • 29+ Years

  • Car accident

    Personal injury

    Insurance

  • University of Miami School of Law (JD – Juris Doctor, 1992)

    Stetson University (BA – Bachelor of Arts, 1989)

  • AV Preeminent Rated

    Martindale-Hubbell (2015, 2016 or 2017)

  • International Association of Defense Counsel (Member, 2017 – Present)

    Council on Litigation Management (Co-chair, 2010 – Present)

    Hillsborough County Bar Association (Member, 1996 – Present)

    Florida Defense Lawyer Association (Member, 1993 – Present)

    Florida Bar Association (Member, 1992 – Present)

    Defense Research Institute (Member, 1992 – Present)

Certified Circuit Court Mediator

Our skillful mediation increases the likelihood of amicable resolution of various disputes, saving the cost and time of court trials. Please contact us for additional information, or schedule a mediation appointment here:

What Clients Are Saying

“I wanted to tell you again that yesterday’s result was outstanding. Your strategy of trying this case against Burnetti was spot on, and the application of the strategy was flawless. A net zero verdict on a clear liability case, starting at $180k in specials in retrospect is incredible. I have to say that yesterday would have to be the high point of my litigation part of my job. I told you I have sat through at least 12 trials at least, and have had a large number of good results. Given the facts of this case yours was phenomenal, In all other cases, I tried in the past we had something positive to work with. This one was just the Scarborough clinic on trial lawyering. It was a pleasure to watch it.”

  • Larry E.

Butch Mathenia
Attorney

  • Founder
    Matthew C. Scarborough is the managing partner of Scarborough Attorneys At Law which he has operated since its inception in 2001. Mr. Scarborough has exclusively practiced in the Insurance Defense arena for the past 23 years since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 1992. He is a graduate of Stetson University (B.B.A. Marketing, 1989) and the University Of Miami School Of Law (J.D. 1992)

  • Attorney
    Originally from Tampa, Florida, Amy Lee joined the firm in 2018. Amy brings to the firm over three years of state and federal court litigation experience. Amy’s insurance defense and coverage experience include defending insurance carriers in commercial and general liability, personal injury, premises liability, negligent security, title insurance, and first-party property matters.

  • Attorney
    Shawn A. Goforth is an experienced trial attorney licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida and the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Shawn graduated in 2006 from Stetson University College of Law receiving his Juris Doctor Degree and a Certificate of Concentration in Advocacy. He earned his undergraduate degree from Troy State University (Montgomery) with a Bachelor of Science (Political Science) (magna cum laude).

  • Attorney
    Butch Mathenia brings 6 years of Insurance Defense and PIP Defense experience. Mr Methenia graduated from the University of Tampa. Butch Mathenia also served in The US Army where he received numerous awards including The Bronze Star Medal, the Director of National Intelligence Award for work on Classified Projects, we well as other numerous awards and distinctions. Butch Mathenia is also a member of the American Legion Post 138 as well as the Tau Kappa Epsilon.

  • Attorney
    Ryan joined the firm in 2023. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Ryan graduated from the College of Charleston, South Carolina, with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry. There, he served as a supplemental instructor in introductory molecular biology for biology and biochemistry majors. He also participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at the nearby Medical University of South Carolina, where he was supported by the NASA South Carolina Space Grant Consortium.

    Ryan earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oregon School of Law where he completed two judicial externships, one with the Circuit Court of Oregon for the District of Lane County, and the other with the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Eugene Division.

    Ryan became a member of the Florida Bar in 2022, and practices in the areas of first and third-party insurance defense.

  • Office Manager
    Stacy Simmons is the Office Manager and Paralegal for Scarborough Attorneys at Law. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in history. Additionally, she focuses on maintaining a positive work environment that fosters strong office relationships to encourage employee retention. Stacy is also the main point of contact for client communication and coordinates the firm’s marketing efforts including its continuing education seminars.

Stacy Simmons
Office Manager

Ryan McDermott

Ryan McDermott
Attorney