Practice Areas
• Employment litigation
•Discrimination claims
• General tort and contract cases

Professional Profile

Michael Carlson focuses his practice on employment, discrimination and general civil litigation cases. He regularly represents employers in federal and state court and before administrative agencies against claims under Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ ADA ”) and other federal and state laws. He also represents clients in non-employment related discrimination claims, including claims under the Fair Housing Act, the ADA , and statutes prohibiting discrimination in consumer transactions. In addition to his defense of employment and discrimination claims, Mr. Carlson represents clients in a wide range of tort and contract litigation matters. Mr. Carlson has recently obtained jury verdicts on behalf of employers in sexual harassment cases in the United States District Court for Maryland and the Superior Court for Camden County , New Jersey.

 

Mr. Carlson is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association-Labor and Employment Law Section, DRI, and Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc. He has served on the faculties of several continuing education seminars, including the Bureau of National Affairs' “Evidence Issues in Employment Cases,” held at the Yale Club in New York City, and “Litigating Employment Discrimination Cases: A View from the Bench,” hosted by the Georgetown University Law Center.

A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, Mr. Carlson holds a Master's Degree in Public Management. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Carlson was a judicial clerk for the Honorable Robert H. Heller of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County . He is admitted to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia , including the United States District Courts of both jurisdictions, and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

 

Education
University of Maryland School of Law (J.D., 1996)
William P. Cunningham Award
University of Maryland School of Public Affairs (M.P.M., 1992)
Randolph-Macon College (B.A., 1987)

Admissions

Maryland
United States District Court for the District of Maryland
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Representative Matters

• Represented an employer in sexual harassment case in which the Plaintiff alleged she had been physically and verbally harassed and subjected to retaliation after filing a complaint. Obtained a jury verdict in favor of the employer and subsequently recovered more than $10,000 in costs from the Plaintiff.

• Represented a large retail chain in a sexual harassment claim in which the employee alleged she was harassed by her supervisor, culminating in a sexually battery that caused her to fall and suffer a disabling injury. The jury ruled in favor of the employer.

• Represented a Fortune 500 company in federal court on a sexual harassment, constructive discharge and retaliation claim brought by four former employees of the company's distribution center. Obtained dismissal of claims brought by two plaintiffs and summary judgment as to the remaining plaintiffs.

• Represented a home seller in a case in which the buyer alleged that a defective railing caused him to fall and suffer severe personal injuries, including compound fractures of both legs. The jury ruled in favor of the home seller.

• Represented an automobile manufacturer in state court in a claim alleging product defects under warranty, consumer protection, lemon law, and other theories. The court granted summary judgment, which was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Delaware.

• Represented an employer in federal court in case brought by a former employee alleging retaliation and discrimination based on race and national origin. Obtained summary judgment. The judgment was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

• Represented the manufacturer of a hydraulic lift gate in a product liability claim. Obtained summary judgment for the manufacturer. The judgment was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

• Represented a Fortune 500 company in a claim involving allegations of false imprisonment and battery by a customer. The jury ruled in favor of the defendant.