Kenneth P Carlson Jr

-Labor and Employment

-Employee Benefits

-Employment Litigation Prevention & Defense

-Trade Secrets & Unfair Competition

-Wage and Hour Compliance & Litigation

-Whistleblower & Retaliation

Ken is a partner with Constangy in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he focuses his practice on employment law.

His specific areas of emphasis include discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful discharge; trade secrets and unfair competition; drafting employment, confidentiality and noncompetition agreements; and FLSA/wage & hour matters – with serving as a mediator or arbitrator in each of those areas now constituting most of his practice. He is a senior litigator and trusted advisor to employers, providing practical guidance, workplace training, and other counseling to help strengthen legal compliance, reduce risk and better navigate complex workplace issues.

Ken is regularly named to Business North Carolina’s annual “Legal Elite”, North Carolina “Super Lawyers”, NC Lawyers’ Weekly “Power List” for employment law, and Best Lawyers in America for labor & employment law and/or alternative dispute resolution. He is also a repeat recipient of Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” recognition in employment law and/or alternative dispute resolution for the Winston-Salem/Greensboro metropolitan area.

Ken is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and an adjunct professor at the Wake Forest University School of Law, where he teaches negotiation and trade secrets/unfair competition. Over the years, he has also taught trial practice and advanced trial practice. He frequently speaks at continuing legal education seminars and has published on topics ranging from employment law and trade secret/covenant not to compete issues to best practices in mediation and arbitration. Ken continues to support employers by blending his deep legal knowledge with a practical approach for not only solving workplace problems but also avoiding them before they occur.

American Bar Foundation

American Bar Association

North Carolina Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Former Chair and Council Member; Labor & Employment Law Section, Former Council Member

Forsyth County/31st Judicial District Bar Association

Wake Forest University School of Law, Adjunct Professor (1997-Present)

Ken is married to Melanie Carlson, and has three daughters, three sons-in-law and a growing number of grandchildren. He is a graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Law, the Divinity School at Yale University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He enjoys travel, reading, golf and most sports, anything related to his grandchildren, and especially likes to be outdoors, and hiking & camping where smartphones don't work.

Wake Forest University School of Law

J.D.

1990

Legal Elite, Employment Law

Business North Carolina

2026

Top 100

North Carolina Super Lawyers

2021

Arbitration, Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Mediation, and Trade Secrets Law

The Best Lawyers in America®

2026

Lawyer of the Year - Employment Law - Management, Triad

The Best Lawyers in America®

2026

Power List in Employment

North Carolina Lawyers Weekly

2024

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent®

Top Lawyer for Trial/Litigation

Triad Business Leader Magazine

2008