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Minnesota Icon: Alan Carlson

Dan Emerson//December 12, 2019//

(Submitted photo)

(Submitted photo)

Minnesota Icon: Alan Carlson

Dan Emerson//December 12, 2019//

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After earning an engineering degree from Purdue Uni­versity, Alan Carlson knew he didn’t want to be an engineer. Instead, he chose a law career, but he found a legal specialty where his engineering expertise could come in handy: intellectual prop­erty litigation.

After finishing law school, Carl­son became the seventh lawyer to join a fledgling firm that would grow into one of the Twin Cit­ies’ most successful: Merchant & Gould. Carlson eventually rose to become chairman of Merchant & Gould’s management commit­tee, but after three decades with the firm, he was looking for new challenges. In 2003, he and three colleagues founded Minneapo­lis-based Carlson Caspers.

In considering the reasons for his successful legal career, Carlson cites “competitiveness and drive. In business there are a lot of smart people — everyone thinks they’re the smartest — but that’s not what sets us apart. It’s the willingness to work extra hours to figure out what is going to happen” in a case.

Over the years, Carlson has successfully litigated a num­ber of major IP cases. In one, he represented Insignia Systems, a manufacturer of in-store signage and promotional materials, in a case involving a stolen customer list. By studying phone records and cross-examination, Carlson proved that the defendants were being untruthful about when and how they acquired Insignia’s pro­prietary list. In other memorable cases, he helped high-profile cli­ents Calvin Klein and John Deere win major IP litigation.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

One of my uncles was Vince Bu­gliosi (a Hibbing native who was the prosecutor in the Manson Family case). He encouraged me to go to law school.

What is the best advice you’ve received?

“There is a very fine line between success and failure. That’s been my theme: to make sure I do what I need to do to get over that line.”

Which achievement are you most proud of?

I was the first IP lawyer from Min­nesota inducted into the Ameri­can College of Trial Lawyers.

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