Known for his deft touch in high-stakes negotiations, Adam Carter frequently helps executives to reach favorable agreements with their companies at pivotal career moments such as hiring, promotion, and separation.
He is also a seasoned courtroom advocate who has won numerous cases at trial and on appeal. He represents clients who bring claims against their employers for wrongful termination, retaliation, and discrimination of all sorts.
Mr. Carter has strong experience representing service members and veterans who face bias in the workplace, including at defense contractors and government agencies. He has written and spoken about the rights of employees under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), a federal statute that forbids employers from discriminating against workers based on their military service.
He is also devoted to helping employees at higher educational institutions, including college professors and administrators who stand up to discrimination on campus.
Among his notable outcomes for clients:
- An $819,000 jury verdict for a university scientist who suffered retaliation after blowing the whistle on misuse of federal research grants;
- Success at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for a U.S. Army reservist who suffered retaliation at a government agency because of his military service;
- An $830,000 jury verdict for a former Marine Corps pilot of Mexican ancestry who was dismissed by Lockheed Martin after contesting a performance review;
- An appellate ruling that whistleblowers have an absolute right to move to federal court if the U.S. Department of Labor takes too long to act on their complaints;
- A $1 million jury verdict for a woman who was sexually harassed at work and then fired after filing complaints against her supervisor; and
- An appellate ruling that allowed his client to proceed with claims against three government officials who conducted an investigation that the client considered unfair, defeating an argument by the U.S. Department of Justice that these officials had absolute immunity from civil litigation.
Just as important as such victories, however, are the many settlements Mr. Carter has negotiated without courtroom conflict. At The Employment Law Group® law firm, Mr. Carter teaches the intricacies of negotiation to new and upcoming attorneys. While he’s always prepared for litigation, a satisfactory resolution is his true goal.
“I see myself as a problem solver,” he says. “I like to help good people get through bad situations — and since there’s not much I haven’t seen by now, I often can identify the fastest route to the best result.”
Clients working with Mr. Carter can expect a nimble attorney who shows everyone the care and attention they deserve. While no lawyer can guarantee a result, he readily commits to dedication, open communication, and a brisk work pace.
“I bring my A game all the time,” he says. “I bring it in service of every matter — large, small, and in-between. What matters to me is a happy client.”
Multiple publications and rating organizations have recognized Mr. Carter for his work, including Northern Virginia magazine and Lawdragon. For the past five years, The Best Lawyers in America has honored him for his prowess in three areas of law: employment law, litigation, and qui tam law. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers for ten years running, most recently placing on its “Top 100” list for all D.C. lawyers — not just employment specialists.
Mr. Carter received his law degree in 1991 from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as editor-in-chief of the American Criminal Law Review. He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. Oliver Gasch of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, then spent several years defending individuals and corporations in white-collar criminal cases.
A founding attorney at TELG, Mr. Carter has since dedicated most of his career to employment law. His white-collar defense experience gives him insight into the tactics of opposing counsel in whistleblower actions under the False Claims Act, among other laws.
Mr. Carter is known for his sharp command of detail, first honed as a defender in criminal cases where small facts can make or break a case. He now represents clients in a wide range of venues, from federal courts to state courts to arbitration to informal Zoom negotiations.
He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, and in many federal courts around the nation — including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Carter is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association. He is an active participant in two social clubs for attorneys: the Barristers and the Counsellors, for which he served as president from 2018 to 2019.
Beyond professional associations, Mr. Carter spends much of his free time in service to his community. He is currently the treasurer of Friends of Stead Park, an organization dedicated to redeveloping a local park for children in D.C. He is also an active member of the Order of Malta, a Catholic organization through which he has helped to plan 15 pilgrimages to Lourdes for ill people and their companions.
Since the start of the pandemic, Mr. Carter has revisited many of his childhood hobbies, including gardening and sports — especially racquet sports. Cooking and baking are another interest, inspired in part by his mother and one of his sisters, both of whom have formal culinary training.
As an avid socializer and connoisseur of minutiae, he really missed trivia nights during the lockdown.
Articles
New Rights for D.C. Employees Under COVID-19 Emergency Laws, , Jun-2020
In a Bind: The Unintended Consequences of Non-Compete Agreements on Damages Mitigation, The Employment Law Group, P.C., Mar-2016
Breast Cancer – Know Your Legal Protections, Zestnow, Oct-2015
E pluribus unum: Individual liability in securities fraud cases, Westlaw Journal Securities Litigation and Regulation, Aug-2015
Generic Whistleblower Laws Leave Mortgage Workers Underprotected, National Mortgage News, Jul-2015
When Banks Don’t Do the Right Thing: Employee Options, Westlaw Journal White-Collar Crime, May-2015
The Greatest Article Ever Written on Puffery!, The Corporate Counselor, May-2015
Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling: An overview of employee protections for women in the workplace, The NAWIC IMAGE, Mar-2015
Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling: An Overview of Employee Protections for Women in the Workplace, MomsRising.org, Feb-2015
The Family and Medical Leave Act: Making the Most of Your Protections, MomsRising.org, Jan-2015
Forced Arbitration Clauses as Condition of Employment, Bloomberg BNA Daily Labor Report, Nov-2014
Back on the Job: Employee Protections Following a Breast Cancer Diagnosis, MomsRising.org , Oct-2014
Post-Employment Retaliation: The ‘Gift’ That Keeps on Giving?, The Corporate Counselor, Sep-2014
Act Aims to Bolster Rights of Sexual-Assault Victims in the Military, American Bar Association Section of Litigation: Employment and Labor Relations - News and Developments, Jun-2014
Risks In Fighting Whistleblowers Over Confidentiality, Law360, Mar-2014
Current Trends in Trade Secret Litigation, SHRM.org (Society for Human Resource Management), Mar-2014
Given claws by Staub, ‘cat’s paw’ reaches into state courts, Westlaw Journal Employment, Feb-2014
Notes On: Can I Be a Whistleblower If I Already Signed a Nondisclosure Agreement?, Labor Law Journal, Jan-2014
Smooth Transitions for Servicemembers: USERRA Protections, Law 360, Nov-2012
Litigating Claims Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, The Employee Advocate, Oct-2010
Combating Claims of Computer Fraud and Abuse, Workplace Law Report, Nov-2009
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, Avvo, Dec-2008
Media Mentions
UVA responds to gender discrimination suit, , Jan-1970
U-Va. official sues school for alleged gender discrimination, , Jan-1970
Building a Business of Law, , Jun-2016
Downside of Noncompetes: Higher Damages, Corporate Counsel, May-2016
Former Lockheed employee prevails over company in retaliation lawsuit, Gazette.net, Apr-2015
Lockheed must pay Hispanic former Marine pilot $830,000 in retaliation suit, Westlaw Journal Employment, Mar-2015
Ex-Lockheed employee gets $830K in retaliation suit, The Daily Record, Mar-2015
Md.: $830,000 Awarded Against Lockheed for Retaliation, SHRM, Mar-2015
Ex-Lockheed Employee Wins Verdict In National Original Suit, Law360, Mar-2015
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, MomsRising.org, Ciao Bella Magazine, Bicultural Mama, Generation X Blog, and Moms Who Blog., Oct-2014
Post-Firing Evidence Can Be A Potent Limit On Bias Damages, Law360, Oct-2014
Firm Will Regret Not Firing Atty Over Anti-Gay Email: Experts Say, Law360, Sep-2014
The Morning Risk Report: Tale of Two Whistleblowers, The Wall Street Journal: The Morning Risk Report, Aug-2014
4 Signs You’re Being Sexually Harassed at Work Without Knowing It, You Beauty, Jul-2014
Former Employee Files Suit Against Washington County Humane Society, The Herald-Mail, Jan-2014
Speaking Engagements
Employment Law: When is a good time to call a lawyer?, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington , Feb-2018
Individual Liability in the US Banking Industry, Bloomberg BNA, May-2015
Virginia Bar Association Mediation Seminar, Virginia Bar Association, Mar-2015
Employment and Labor and Litigation Forums: At Sword’s Point – Employment Litigation Perspectives From the Plaintiffs’ and Management Bars, Association of Corporate Counsel - National Capital Region, Feb-2015
SHRM Legal Academy: Practical Advice On How To Do It Legally, , Feb-2015
Mediation: Make It Worth It, Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Oct-2014
Exceptions to the Employment-at-Will Doctrine in Washington, DC, DC Bar, Jul-2014
Conducting EEO Internal Investigations, Law Seminars International TeleBriefing, Apr-2012
The Defense Playbook 2011, National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), Jul-2011
Attorney Fee Petitions, National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), Jun-2010
Best Practices: Attorney’s Fees Petitions, National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), Jun-2010
Representative Cases
Firm News
Court Says Victory for TELG Client Is Only Reasonable Outcome in Military Bias Case
MomsRising.com and HitchedMag.com pick up Family and Medical Leave Act piece giving tips to employees for how to take medical leave
Super Lawyers Names Six TELG Attorneys to its 2014 List
Super Lawyers Honors All Four TELG Principals for 2013
Law360 Publishes Guest Column on USERRA Rights by TELG Principal Attorneys Adam Augustine Carter and R. Scott Oswald
Press Releases
The Employment Law Group Caps a Year of Recognition With Multiple Honors from U.S. News & World Report
Three Attorneys from The Employment Law Group® Law Firm Are Honored in Best Lawyers in America
The Employment Law Group® Law Firm Helps Former Marine to Win $830,000 Award in Retaliation Case Against Defense Giant Lockheed Martin
Once Again, Super Lawyers Honors All Principals of The Employment Law Group® Law Firm as Top-Rated Lawyers
Landon School Employee Alleges Culture of Discrimination Against Hispanics in $ 2 Million Lawsuit
JURY VERDICT AGAINST NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS FOR RETALIATING AGAINST DRUG SALES REP WHO TOOK MATERNITY LEAVE
Testimonials
Client: TELG Client
"A superior level of expertise in a complex area of the law"
Also worked with this client:
R. Scott Oswald
Client:
"Adam was responsive"
Client:
"Thorough knowledge of the law"
Client:
"Rare individuals"
Client:
"I couldn't be happier with Mr. Carter as my lawyer"
Client:
"Adam Carter helped me stand up for justice."
Client:
"Mr. Carter has a knack for understanding a case's details"
Client:
"A force to be reckoned with"
Adam Augustine Carter Principal
Education
Georgetown University Law Center
JD (1991)
American Criminal Law Review, 1989-1991 (Editor-in-Chief, Vol. 28)
Georgetown University
AB (1987)
