 He spent his career in Washington D.C. working in a small firm with a maximum of one or two other partners, including Jack Wasserman (1950–67), Charles Gordon (1974-84), and Carliner's son-in-law, Robert A. Remes (1984-2003).Although Carliner was primarily an attorney, he sought social and political change in a variety of other ways, including through writing newspaper articles and testifying before congress.Most importantly, he was the chair of the District of Columbia Home Rule Committee from 1966 to 1970.