Charles V. Firth - Minneapolis, MN
Attorney at Engelmeier & Umanah, P.A.
Employment Law (litigation and counseling) Lawyers in Minneapolis, MN
121 South Eighth Street Suite 1300 Minneapolis, MN 55402
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
31
Years
Experience
Minneapolis Employment Law (litigation and counseling) Lawyer
Updated: 03/10/2026
Areas of Practice
- Employment Law (litigation and counseling)
- Civil Litigation
- Shareholder Disputes
- Class Action
- Government Fraud (qui tam)
- Catastrophic Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Medical Malpractice
Attorney Information
Overview
Charlie Firth focuses his practice on employment law, including litigation, employer counseling and class actions. Throughout his legal career, Charlie has maintained as his guiding principle aggressive and ethical representation in pursuit of the best possible solutions for each of his clients. The diversity of Charlie's experience helps him identify and address a wide variety of client needs. While Charlie has consistently practiced in employment law matters, he also has experience in litigating cases involving class actions, government fraud (False Claims Act – qui tam), personal injury, wrongful death, shareholder disputes, trade secret misappropriation, sexual abuse, medical malpractice, legal malpractice and commercial disputes. Charlie is a native Minnesotan who graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School, and returned to Minnesota in 2007 after practicing law in Washington, D.C., Cambodia and New Mexico.
Charlie's employment law expertise is broad, as he has successfully represented clients in matters involving federal and state Fair Employment Standards Act wage and hour collective and class actions, sexual harassment, gender, race, disability and sexual orientation discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower, workers' compensation retaliation, and FMLA retaliation. Notably, Charlie has fought for his clients' rights in high-profile cases of a national scope, including being appointed as class co-counsel in Dukes, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., working to recover over $300 million from the oil industry in a Federal False Claims Act case, U.S. ex rel. Johnson v. Shell Oil Co., and bringing cases that resulted in the recovery of more than $30 million under the Federal Fair Employment Standards Act.
Charlie has also been successful at trial. Most recently, he represented a client who brought claims against her former employer of disability discrimination, retaliation and failure to accommodate pursuant to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The Court awarded double backpay and emotional distress damages in addition to punitive damages, attorneys' fees, costs and interest, which resulted in a recovery of $456,000.
Charlie's international legal experience includes directly advising the Cambodian government, non-governmental organizations and private sector clients in efforts to strengthen the rule of law, assist in rebuilding Cambodia's judicial system and prepare legislation relating to the management of the country's natural heritage, including its national parks and other protected areas. In particular, Charlie advised and counseled multinational corporations on their compliance with Cambodian and international law with regard to employment, commercial, corporate and contract matters.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America
- Recognized on the Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- 2018 Cancer Legal Care Volunteer Attorney of The Year
Other Sources of Feedback About Charles V. Firth
Included on the 2026 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
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University of Minnesota Law School,
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
J.D.
Honors: cum laude
-
University of Minnesota Law School,
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
-
Non Legal Education
-
Northwestern University
B.A.
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Northwestern University
Published Works
Articles
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The 2019 Proposed Pro-Employee Bills Attorney at Law Magazine, Co-Author with Tom Marshall, March, 2019
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Injured Reserve or Active Roster – Your Disability Game Plan, Engelmeier & Umanah Seminar, December, 2014 (co-presenter)
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“Adapting to Change” . . . ADAAA and Mental Health Issues in the Workplace, Engelmeier & Umanah Seminar, November 2012, Co-Author
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Returning to Work, University of Minnesota Medical School Survivorship Series, Moving Beyond Cancer, April, 2010 (presenter)
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After the Crash, Minnesota School Bus Operators Association and Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportation Winter Conference, January, 2010 (presenter)
- Respectful Workplace or Hostile Environment? What Does Your Team Look Like and What Must the Employer Do?, Minnesota Symposium on Terrorism and Emergency Preparedness, November, 2009 (co-presenter)
- Potential Ethical Issues Arising Out of Counsel Representing the Union and Individuals, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Attorneys' Conference, October, 2000 (co-author)
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court District of New Mexico
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- District of Columbia
- New Mexico
Other Affiliations
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- New Mexico State Bar Association (former)
- District of Columbia Bar Association (former)
- Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund (“TAF”)(Former)
Photo
Contact
121 South Eighth Street
Suite 1300
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-455-7720
Fax: 612-455-7740
Email: Send a message
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