Ken Carlson is a senior litigator who has successfully defended companies in virtually every aspect of employment law. He also has a strong practice in drafting employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, and noncompetition agreements, combined with a significant amount of work involving trade secret and noncompetition law. In addition to his litigation practice, Ken regularly advises employers on how to avoid problems before they occur, and helps companies protect their intellectual property by developing trade secret protection programs. Ken is also a certified mediator with an emphasis on mediating employment-related disputes, and is an adjunct professor at the Wake Forest University School of Law where he teaches courses in trial practice and trade secrets/unfair competition. He is a frequent speaker at corporate training and continuing education seminars throughout North Carolina, and has published numerous articles through the years on various employment law topics.

Ken is consistently named to Business North Carolina’s annual “Legal Elite” for employment law and to the list of North Carolina “Super Lawyers,” and has been included in the 2007 and 2008 Best Lawyers in America for labor & employment law and alternative dispute resolution.

Prior Legal Experience
Partner - Edwards, Ballard, Clark, Barrett and Carlson, P.A.
Winston-Salem, NC

Publications/Presentations
Ken regularly speaks at seminars and publishes articles on employment law topics. Examples include the following:

"Opening Statements and Closing Arguments: You might not win it here but you sure could lose it." NBI Powerful Evidence in North Carolina Seminar.
"Now or Never: Protecting Trade Secrets and Other Information." Business North Carolina, June 2004.
"Be Careful What You Ask For -- You Just Might Get It (An alternative view to mandatory arbitration of employment disputes), NC Bar Association, ADR Section Newsletter, November 2002.
"Noncompete Agreements and Trade Secrets in North Carolina." NC Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section Annual Meeting.

Professional Activities/Associations
Adjunct Professor, Wake Forest University School of Law
American Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association
Winston-Salem Society for Human Resources Management
Council Member, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the NC Bar Association
Past Editor, NC Bar Association Labor & Employment Section Newsletter

Awards and Recognitions
Chambers USA Guide
North Carolina Super Lawyers
Best Lawyers In America

Civic/Charitable Activities/Associations
Board of Directors and Past Chairman, Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County, Inc.
Member and Past Chairman, Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee
Board of Governors, Piedmont Club
St. Timothy's Episcopal Church

Other Personal Background Information and Interests
Ken is married to Melanie Carlson, and has three daughters who much to his dismay are now grown or almost grown: Lindsay, Elizabeth and Kathryn. He enjoys most sports, and especially likes to backpack and camp where cell phones don't work.

Education

Wake Forest University School of Law
J.D., 1990

Yale Divinity School
Master of Divinity, 1981

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A., English Literature, 1976

Admitted

• North Carolina, 1990