Michael J. Allen Printer-Friendly

Mike Allen dedicates his practice to protecting clients’ rights and assets, including their contract rights, intellectual property rights, shareholder rights, estate rights, and creditors’ rights. His unique blend of experience in negotiating, contracting, counseling, and litigation helps him provide meaningful insight to clients at any stage of their business relationships.

Though Mike’s goal is to protect each client’s interests without the need for litigation, he is poised to litigate vigorously when necessary. He has 30 years of litigation and dispute resolution experience and has been recognized among the “Best Lawyers in America” and North Carolina’s “Legal Elite.” He also holds an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating awarded.

Contract Work and Business Counseling
Mike has substantial experience in preparing contracts and in counseling regional and national clients in a broad range of business and contractual relationships, including:

Employment, non-competition, non-solicitation and non-disclosure agreements.
License and royalty agreements involving trademarks, copyrights and other IP rights.
Independent contractor agreements involving sales representatives, distributors and other contractors.
Distribution, vendor, supply and services agreements.
Joint development agreements to protect client rights when a product or technology is jointly developed.

Intellectual Property
Mike represents a range of clients, including publishing and educational companies, creative developers, and other businesses, that seek to protect their intellectual property and capitalize on its economic value. He helps them register, maintain, license, and enforce trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other rights. He also has successfully litigated intellectual property suits on behalf of his clients.

Litigation
Mike has substantial experience litigating business, commercial, and contract disputes, including those involving non-competition, non-solicitation and non-disclosure agreements, intellectual property rights, fraud, unfair competition, and unfair trade practices. Mike works closely with our firm’s estate and trust attorneys to provide advice and representation in estate and trust disputes.

Representative Cases

Successfully defended a suit filed against a client for computer software copyright infringement, fraud, and violation of DMCA anti-circumvention statutes. The plaintiff had sought damages of more than $5 million.
Successfully defended a suit involving charges of noncompetition, fraud and tortious interference with a contract, where a substantial damages award was sought. After a week-long arbitration hearing, a “no liability” award was entered in favor of our clients.
Successfully prosecuted hundreds of copyright infringement suits on behalf of music composers, authors and publishers, resulting in judgments and settlements that included enhanced damages and attorneys’ fees.
Successfully enforced numerous employment restrictive covenants, including non-competition and non-solicitation agreements.
Successfully litigated/resolved will caveat and other estate disputes.

Bar and Court Admissions

North Carolina, 1991
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Seventh Circuits
U.S. District Courts for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina
Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois
U.S. Tax Court
Illinois, 1985 (inactive)

Professional Memberships and Activities

American Bar Association
Greensboro Bar Association
North Carolina Bar Association
North Carolina Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Past President
North Carolina Bar Association, Intellectual Property Law Section, Former Member
Copyright Author's Committee of ABA Intellectual Property Section, Past Chair

Awards and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America, 2012-2023
Business North Carolina: Legal Elite, 2007-2008, 2012, 2015
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
Thomas J. White Scholar
Journal of Legislation: Articles Editor, 1984-1985
Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy: Senior Editor, 1984-1985

Community Service

Carolina Theatre of Greensboro, Past Chairman of the Board
Gate City Rotary

Disclaimer: The specific cases and matters mentioned on this website are illustrative of the matters handled by Carruthers & Roth, P.A. The results of any case or matter depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Not all cases or matters handled by Carruthers & Roth, P.A. are summarized on this website. The results of prior cases or matters do not guarantee that a similar outcome can be achieved in any future case.

Practice Areas

Industries

Startups & Entrepreneurs