Karl Amelchenko is a Senior Partner Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay. He is one of the leaders of the firm’s national mass arbitration and consumer protection practice.
Karl is at the forefront of national litigation involving earned wage access and cash-advance products between payroll and consumer lending. His work focuses on earned wage access (EWA) models that impose mandatory or coercive fees—often labeled as tips, subscriptions, instant delivery charges, or platform access costs—that function as disguised finance charges. These cases examine whether EWA providers are effectively extending credit without complying with state usury laws, consumer lending statutes, and federal disclosure requirements. Through coordinated mass arbitration and strategic court actions, Karl challenges EWA practices that extract significant costs from workers while marketing themselves as free, zero-interest, or non-loan alternatives, seeking to establish clear legal boundaries for wage-based financial products nationwide.
In addition, Karl leads a growing portfolio of national cases targeting junk fees, deceptive pricing and disguised interest charges. He represents consumers against financial technology companies, banks and service platforms that mislabel finance charges as tips, expedited or instant transfer fees or subscription charges.
In the mass arbitration and consumer protection practice areas, Karl pursues claims against video game developers that violate the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) by unlawfully transmitting players’ personal data without consent. He also represents individuals in mass arbitrations involving state wiretapping statutes, the illegal collection of biometric information, and other state and federal privacy laws.
His work extends across industries that conceal mandatory surcharges behind low-advertised prices. Recent filings challenge so-called drip pricing schemes in which multi-billion dollar companies add unavoidable delivery or service fees after advertising a single, lower price. Through these cases, Karl seeks to establish clear, nationwide standards for transparent pricing and fair consumer disclosure. He also advises fellow plaintiff firms on the intersection of consumer protection statutes, arbitration enforcement, and mass arbitration strategy to combat hidden-fee misconduct at scale.
A significant part of his work involves challenging unfair and unconscionable arbitration clauses—clauses designed to block consumers from enforcing their rights. Through aggressive motion practice and coordinated mass filings, Karl has helped force companies to comply with their own arbitration provisions or face sanctions under consumer‑friendly statutes.
In addition to his consumer advocacy, Karl maintains a robust catastrophic injury practice in North Carolina, representing individuals who have suffered life‑altering injuries in truck and auto wrecks, industrial accidents, and explosions. With a decade of experience in medical malpractice litigation, he continues to be a trusted resource for North Carolina personal injury law firms handling complex medical negligence cases. His work has led to significant recoveries for clients, including multiple seven‑figure settlements and verdicts.
State Bar Admissions
Federal Court Admissions
Education
While at Wake Forest, he was the captain of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trial Team and received the prestigious Goldberg Award for Trial Advocacy, recognizing him as the school’s top trial advocate in both proficiency and ethics.
Notable Representation
Appointments & Service
Practice Areas
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