Ogletree Deakins Podcasts

Hosted by Ogletree Deakins

Business EducationInterviews guestsExplicit

Website RSS feed

Episodes

100

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to the Ogletree Deakins podcast page. Here, you can expect to hear timely and conversational discussions on labor and employment law topics covering the latest developments and trending issues impacting employers. We encourage you to subscribe and also rate and review if you find the podcast useful. Contact us with topics you’d like to hear, questions, and feedback at client.services@ogletree.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter (@OgletreeDeakins).

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 202614 min

Litigation Lens: The Blake Lively Case—Worker Classification, Contracts, and Retaliation

In this episode of our Litigation Lens podcast series, Michael Nail (shareholder, Greenville) is joined by Sarah Zucco (shareholder, New York) and Olivia Orlando-Donovan (associate, New York/Stamford) to break down Judge Lyman’s April 2026 opinion in Lively v. Wayfarer Studios—a 152-page decision arising from the production of It Ends With Us. The speakers examine the court’s independent contractor ruling, the enforceability of unsigned agreements, and the FEHA retaliation claim that survived dispositive motions. Tune in for practical takeaways on worker classification, contract execution, and the fine line between defending your reputation and retaliating against a complainant.

June 15, 202610 min

Payroll Brass Tax: Payroll Consolidations and Strategies for Multi-Entity Employers

In this installment of our Payroll Brass Tax podcast series, Mike Mahoney (Morristown/New York) and Megan Menguc (Washington) break down the most common strategies for consolidating payroll across related entities. Megan and Mike, who is chair of the firm’s Employment Tax practice group, walk through three distinct approaches, examining the practical benefits and limitations of each: (1) captive employee leasing, (2) Section 3504 agent reporting, and (3) common paymaster arrangements. The speakers also address the broader cross-disciplinary considerations that employers should keep in mind before restructuring how payroll is reported.

June 12, 202612 min

Cross-Border: Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); United Kingdom

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Samantha Duncan (Washington) and Justin Tarka (London) tackle the UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025, the most sweeping overhaul of British employment law in decades, with changes rolling out across 2026 and into early 2027. The speakers walk global employers through the staggered timeline, from February’s industrial action updates and April’s day-one entitlements to October’s extended tribunal claim window and the landmark January 2027 changes to unfair dismissal protections.

June 11, 202624 min

Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026: Your Ultimate Checklist for Leaves, Accommodations, and Benefit Plan Compliance

In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026 podcast series, shareholders Tina Bengs (Chicago/Indianapolis), Joseph Cartafalsa (New York), and Michael Riccobono (Morristown) walk through a comprehensive compliance checklist covering mandatory leave and accommodation obligations for disability, pregnancy, and religion, along with family and medical leave laws. The speakers also address how to navigate ERISA, COBRA, and benefit plan terms to help employers keep their organizations compliant and their employees supported.

June 10, 202626 min

Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026: Managing, Documenting, and Surviving the Challenging Employee

In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026 podcast series, shareholders Robert Niccolini (Baltimore/Washington) and Anne Larson (Chicago) examine the full lifecycle of managing a challenging employee, from early identification of common types (including the workplace bully and the chronic social butterfly) to targeted strategies for communication, discipline, and documentation. Listeners will come away with a practical framework for prelitigation planning that helps organizations protect themselves before a personnel problem becomes a costly legal dispute.

June 9, 20267 min

Cross-Border Catch-Up: Automated Out— How Courts Are Ruling on AI-Driven Dismissals

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Patty Shapiro (San Diego) and Goli Rahimi (Chicago) examine a growing trend of companies citing AI adoption as a basis for workforce reductions and how courts around the world are beginning to weigh in on whether those terminations are legally defensible. The speakers discuss how recent rulings from China and Spain reached different conclusions when considering unfair dismissal claims resulting from AI adoption, underscoring why local law, process, and documentation remain critical for global employers navigating AI-driven restructuring decisions.

June 9, 202619 min

Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026: Defensible Decisions—Lawful Hiring in the EEOC Enforcement Era

In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026 podcast series, shareholders Scott Kelly (Birmingham/Washington) and Nonnie Shivers (Phoenix) break down key compliance considerations in today’s enforcement environment, including how to identify and mitigate DOJ False Claims Act risks tied to unlawful “proxy” discrimination, the permissibility of recruiting practices in higher education, and the strategic use of privileged analytics to evaluate talent acquisition strategies and reduce legal exposure.

June 8, 202617 min

Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026: Effective Investigations in the Age of AI and Remote Work

In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026 podcast series, shareholders Cynthia Bremer (Minneapolis), Scott James Preston (Indianapolis), and Bethany Wagner (Pittsburgh) examine the evolving landscape of workplace investigations, with a focus on how AI and remote work are reshaping the types and complexity of complaints employers face. The speakers discuss why thorough, well-documented investigations matter—from preserving employee morale to avoiding litigation exposure—and the value of involving in-house counsel early. They also walk through the most critical investigative mistakes to avoid, including selecting the wrong investigator, reaching premature conclusions, and dismissing complaints due to fatigue.

June 5, 20268 min

Adapting to Canada’s New Employment Standards

In this podcast, Shir Fulga, Erin Schachter, and Susan Ivimey discuss important changes to employment standards in Canada that took effect on January 1, 2026, focusing on the extension of long-term illness leave in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and new rules in Saskatchewan that prohibit employers from withholding tips. Additionally, they cover the introduction of new job-protected leaves in Saskatchewan, which include maternity leave and leave for interpersonal violence, as well as new provisions allowing for the substitution of public holidays.

June 5, 202625 min

Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026: What the DOJ’s Medical Marijuana Reclassification Means for Employers

The Department of Justice’s reclassification of certain marijuana products from Schedule I to Schedule III marks a significant shift in federal drug policy, and employers are now facing new questions about how to respond. In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026 podcast series, shareholders Christina Mallatt (Indianapolis) and Tae Phillips (Birmingham), who co-chair the firm’s Drug Testing practice group, are joined by Phillip Russell (Tampa) to examine what the change means for workplace drug testing programs, ADA accommodation obligations, and the broader landscape of cannabis-related employment policies. Tune in for practical guidance on how employers can evaluate and update their policies in light of this evolving regulatory environment.