Lawson, Ernest T.

Carl is one of the founders of the firm and has engaged in a broad range of civil litigation in state and federal courts.  He has also engaged in both litigation and in the general practice in commercial business law and trusts and estates law.  In recognition of his work, he has been inducted into and been a long-standing Fellow in both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.  His experience includes a broad range of civil litigation and practice in areas of commercial law and business entities, trusts and estates.  His trial practice includes numerous jury trials in state and federal court.  He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Before attending college, Carl served in the United States Army as part of the occupation of Japan at the end of World War II.  Following that service, he received his undergraduate and law school education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado.  He has practiced law in Wyoming since 1953 and primarily with the firm established by Carl and his late father, who died in 1967.  His civil trial practice areas of concentration include business and commercial litigation, trust and estate disputes, professional malpractice and product liability defense, contract actions, and general tort litigation. 
 
Carl is a member of the State and County Bar Associations, the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, and was President of the Wyoming State Bar in 1980-1981.  He is active in his church and in community affairs and has served in leadership positions in service organizations, which include these organizations: Laramie County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees for six years; Industrial Development Association of Cheyenne (now known as LEADS) for several years and was President for two years; School for Retarded (now known as STRIDE) Board for eight years and as its President for one year; Cheyenne Frontier Days' General Committee for three years; and as a Trustee and Officer of the Governing Board of two churches for four years.  Carl served as a director and general counsel for the American National Bank of Cheyenne for more than 13 years and as general counsel for the Board of Public Utilities of Cheyenne for over 20 years.

Carl and his wife, Wilma, have five children who, with their families, reside in the Rocky Mountain area.