Adam Augustine Carter

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. 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 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.”

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. In 2023, Mr. Carter was nominated by his colleagues to become a fellow of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.