Michael P. Maslanka

January 18, 2008 | New Jersey Law Journal

General counsel manage lawyers, either in-house or out. Those lawyers must deal with dysfunctional opposing counsel, who often profit from their nuttiness and are just as often unrepentant about it. It takes a toll, making the GC's lawyers less efficient and more miserable. What's to be done?

By Michael P. Maslanka

4 minute read

April 04, 2005 | Texas Lawyer

Here are the five most important developments that general counsel need to know about to reduce their companies' trial risks and to manage outside counsel.

By Michael P. Maslanka

7 minute read

August 07, 2006 | Texas Lawyer

After years of hurricans, terrorist attacks andn power failures, are general counsel and their companies now any better prepared to handle emergencies, whatever their nature? Here are seven steps for GCs to follow and a legal primer to keep in mind.

By Michael P. Maslanka and Burton D. Brillhart

7 minute read

September 12, 2008 | The Recorder

Texas attorney Michael Maslanka shows us that Shakespeare knew from lawyers, and can teach us a lot about practicing empathy.

By Michael P. Maslanka

5 minute read

August 06, 2007 | Texas Lawyer

What is the U.S. Supreme Court dining on from the employment law menu this coming term? It's a four-course meal, and here is what the discerning diner needs to know.

By Michael P. Maslanka

6 minute read

November 06, 2006 | New Jersey Law Journal

There are ways general counsel can transform the oppressive weight of the Burlington Northern ruling into a corporate advantage.

By Michael P. Maslanka

4 minute read

June 28, 2002 | Texas Lawyer

Dazed and confused by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals` numerous, seemingly contradictory and opaque opinions on employment law? Is your bafflement increased by the welter of firm newsletters, e-mail alerts and commercial publications cascading into your inbox? It all looks about as organized as an orgy. Well, you are not alone; to borrow a phrase, we feel your pain. But there are underlying patterns to the apparent confusion, often driven by unseen dynamics. Tapping into them strengthens your hand - w

By MICHAEL P. MASLANKA and THERESA M. GEGEN

9 minute read

July 26, 2010 | Texas Lawyer

Shakespeare's "Othello" ends badly, with several bodies on stage. The tragic scene offers a cautionary tale for attorneys, Michael P. Maslanka. Here's the combustible stew that brought about the carnage: Iago is a Venetian soldier. Othello is his high-ranking commander, who promotes the handsome and smooth-talking Cassio, an administrative-type, as his second-in-command, instead of Iago. An angered Iago vows vengeance.

By Michael P. Maslanka

7 minute read

January 01, 2007 | Texas Lawyer

Employees work too hard, and that's not good for business. Tired accounting staff don't add columns A and B correctly. Exhausted executives make rash decisions. Sleep-deprived employees driving home from a late night at the office run off the road or worse. Simply put, there's no return on investment on exhausted employees.

By Michael P. Maslanka

9 minute read

April 02, 2007 | Texas Lawyer

For general counsel, employment litigation is about money. The legal department pays it to the company's outside lawyers to defend or settle suits or to satisfy a judgment. The cycle grinds on: Money goes out but doesn't come in, and a company is no better off after suit than before.

By Michael P. Maslanka

7 minute read