Numerous aspects of the modern workplace are evolving fast—and so are the legal risks.

In this episode, I get to speak with Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.—a nationally recognized employment litigator and author with 40 years in practice. A partner with Duane Morris in Chicago, he has defended some of the largest “bet-the-company” class actions in the U.S. and is known for helping employers anticipate and prevent large-scale litigation risks.

We talk about how remote work, ADA compliance, workforce reductions, arbitration, DEI policies, and AI tools are reshaping employment law.

We discuss:

▪️ How courts are redefining “essential functions” in the remote work era.
▪️ ADA compliance and running a defensible interactive process.
▪️ WARN Act risks in distributed and remote workforces.
▪️ Why RIFs require careful planning and statistical review.
▪️ Arbitration strategies post-Epic Systems—and where they fail.
▪️ Legal boundaries for DEI programs in a shifting landscape.
▪️ AI in hiring and performance management—and emerging compliance risks.

From policy design to litigation exposure, the message is clear: decisions must be documented, consistent, and defensible.

If you manage people, risk, or compliance, this episode offers practical guidance for navigating today’s complex employment landscape.

🙏 Special thanks to Jerry for taking the time to share his insights and experience with us. His energy and enthusiasm for the subject are inspiring.

To access a roadmap for navigating employment law complexities while building stronger, more productive workplaces, check out Jerry's book, 'The Employment Law Manual: A Practical Guide for Business Owners, Managers, and Executives'.

Tom Hagy
Host of The Emerging Litigation Podcast

______________________________________

Thanks for listening!

If you like what you hear please give us a rating. You'd be amazed at how much that helps.

If you have questions for Tom or would like to participate, you can reach him at Editor@LitigationConferences.com.

Ask him about creating this kind of content for your firm -- podcasts, webinars, blogs, articles, papers, and more.

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A smart city traffic system powered by agentic AI promises efficiency—but what happens when it fails under pressure?

This is the second episode in a three-part series exploring real-world legal and governance challenges surrounding agentic AI.

In this episode, we examine a scenario where an autonomous system managing traffic signals, routing, and emergency coordination collapses during a perfect storm: a major event, road closures, and severe weather. The result—gridlock, crashes, delayed emergency response, and a life-threatening failure.

Featuring:

▪️ Galina Datskovsky, PhD, CRM, FAI — Board of Directors, FIT and OpenAxes; Information Governance and AI expert
▪️ Marina Kaganovich — AMERS Financial Services Executive Trust Lead, Office of the CISO, Google Cloud
▪️ Hon. Lisa Walsh — Florida Circuit Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County

We explore what should have been built before deployment, including human oversight, escalation protocols, and safeguards that prioritize safety over optimization.

We also discuss:

▪️ Why AI systems can’t be trained for every edge case
▪️ The importance of validation, monitoring, and auditability
▪️ Legal liability and shared responsibility across cities, developers, and users
▪️ How sovereign immunity shapes public sector accountability

If you’re thinking about AI governance, liability, or public infrastructure risk, this episode offers a practical framework for evaluating responsibility before failures occur.

🙏 Special thanks to Galina Datskovsky, Marina Kaganovich, and Judge Lisa Walsh for sharing their insights and expertise, and to Kathryn M. Rattigan, Partner, Data Privacy + Cybersecurity with Robinson+Cole for bringing this team to the Emerging Litigation Podcast.

______________________________________

Thanks for listening!

If you like what you hear please give us a rating. You'd be amazed at how much that helps.

If you have questions for Tom or would like to participate, you can reach him at Editor@LitigationConferences.com.

Ask him about creating this kind of content for your firm -- podcasts, webinars, blogs, articles, papers, and more.

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Regulators are no longer asking about AI principles — they want proof. Legal teams must show how their controls work, withstand scrutiny, and protect privilege.

In this episode, I speak with Adria Perez about the evolving landscape of AI policy and what it means for corporate compliance. Our conversation focuses on the U.S. Department of Justice’s AI Litigation Task Force and the growing expectation that organizations demonstrate real oversight, documented controls, and responsible use of AI. Adria shares practical insight into the challenges and opportunities AI presents for legal departments, as well as how governance frameworks can help companies adopt these tools with confidence.

Adria Perez is a partner in Reed Smith’s Global Regulatory Enforcement Group and a former member of the Volkswagen AG Independent Compliance Monitor and Auditor team. With deep experience at the intersection of enforcement, compliance, and monitorship expectations, she brings a perspective that in-house counsel and compliance leaders increasingly need as AI oversight rises to the board level.

During our discussion, we cover:

• Artificial intelligence as both a strategic asset and a compliance challenge
• The DOJ’s AI Litigation Task Force and what it signals for corporate oversight
• Best practices for responsible AI use, governance, and internal controls
• AI’s growing role in whistleblower complaints and internal investigations
• Workflow efficiencies and operational advantages AI can deliver
• Protocols and employee training essential for safe, effective adoption
• Communicating AI initiatives, safeguards, and successes to corporate boards

If you’re responsible for compliance, investigations, or AI governance, this episode offers a clear look at how legal teams can adapt and lead in a rapidly changing environment.

Special thanks to Adria Perez for sharing her insights and making the time to join us.

Tom Hagy
Host | The Emerging Litigation Podcast

______________________________________

Thanks for listening!

If you like what you hear please give us a rating. You'd be amazed at how much that helps.

If you have questions for Tom or would like to participate, you can reach him at Editor@LitigationConferences.com.

Ask him about creating this kind of content for your firm -- podcasts, webinars, blogs, articles, papers, and more.

• Tom on LinkedIn
• Emerging Litigation Podcast on LinkedIn
• Emerging Litigation Podcast on the HB Litigation site