Michael J. Allen

Mike Allen dedicates his practice to protecting clients’ rights and assets, including their contract rights, intellectual property rights, shareholder rights, and estate rights. His rare blend of experience in negotiating, contracting, and counseling, as well as his past litigation experience, help him provide meaningful insight to clients at the various stages of their business relationships.

Mike’s goal is to protect client interests without the need for litigation, including through strategic contracting, negotiation, and problem solving. When litigation is unavoidable, the firm’s seasoned litigation team is ready to step in. Mike 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.

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 in dealing with business, commercial, and contract disputes, including those involving non-competition, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure agreements, intellectual property rights, unfair competition, and unfair trade practices. He often works with the firm’s litigation team when his substantive knowledge of and experience with those legal subject matters add value. Mike also works with our firm’s estate and trust attorneys to provide advice and assistance in estate and trust disputes.