The Employers' Lawyers' Blog
The Treaty Oak Blog is often authored by Natalie Lynch, founding attorney and resident “voice of reason” when it comes to Texas employment law. She keeps it practical, candid, and refreshingly jargon-free. We would be remiss not to mention that the business and legal communities of Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming constantly inspire us to keep learning. Our incredible clients also always give us a platform to share the lessons we’ve learned.
Level Up Your HR: Make 2026 the Year You Stop Playing Defense
If 2025 felt like employment law was shifting under your feet, 2026 is… not slowing down. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It’s like trying to staple Jell-O to a trampoline: every time you think you’ve secured your policies, a new case, statute, or guidance bounces into view
Silence Is Expensive – Smart Investigations Make Money
If your employees clam up every time you ask a basic question, that’s not a mystery to unravel – it’s money leaking out of your business in real time. Clammed-up workplaces don’t send invoices for the damage they cause; they just quietly tax you through turnover, productivity drag, and regulator
The Most Overwhelming Time of the Year
As we head into the end of the year, it’s easy to assume the holidays are “the most wonderful time.” For many on your teams, they’re actually the heaviest. Surveys from major mental health organizations show that around 9 in 10 U.S. adults report feeling stressed during the holiday season,
What Gratitude Looks Like for Us This Year
Thanksgiving is a complicated holiday. On one hand, it’s a real pause in the year – a moment to catch your breath, see your people, and name what you’re grateful for. On the other, it sits on top of a history of broken promises, displacement, and violence against Native peoples
Your “Virtual Assistant” Just Became Your Biggest Legal Liability
Why That Filipino VA You Hired to Save Money Might Cost You Everything Dear Fellow Employers, Remember when you thought hiring that virtual assistant from the Philippines was the smartest business decision since sliced bread? You know, the one working “contractor hours” that happen to be exactly 9 AM to
How to Keep AI from Wrecking Your Business
Your employees are whispering about ChatGPT writing their reports. Your competitors are bragging about “AI-driven efficiencies.” And you’re wondering if you’re one bad algorithm away from a lawsuit or irrelevance. First off, relax. Take a deep breath and find your calm. Yes, AI feels like it’s big and scary and
Don’t Let Your Employee Handbook Blow Up in Your Face
Feeling like your employee handbook is a ticking time bomb of legal liability? Fretting over whether your policies comply with the latest federal flip-flops or state-specific quirks? Take a breath. Treaty Oak Legal is here to guide you through the HR compliance jungle. We’ve distilled the wisdom from Danielle Needham’s
Tariffs Are Shifting Again — Here’s How Smart Businesses Stay Ahead
If your business buys or sells anything across a border, you’ve felt the whiplash this year. Tariffs jump, headlines swirl, and your inbox fills with advice that sounds suspiciously like panic. Unfortunately, panic is not a plan. So, let’s fix that. It starts with understanding what’s happening right now and
Taming the Rule 30(b)(6) Deposition Beast
We see you. And we know you’re sweating bullets every time a plaintiff’s lawyer slaps you with a Rule 30(b)(6) deposition notice. Mostly because real people have no idea what a Rule 30(b)(6) deposition notice even is – why would you? Think of it like this: you’re being summoned to
Your (Profit-Saving) Guide Through the Jury Selection Jungle
Running a business or managing HR in this town is tough enough without the threat of a courtroom showdown. When an employee sues, the jury selection process can feel like a high-stakes poker game where the deck’s stacked against you. But don’t sweat it – we’re here to simplify the
32nd Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference: Stop Panicking, Start Profiting
Hey there, anxious business owners and HR folks. Is the heat from potential lawsuits keeping you up at night? Don’t sweat it! Treaty Oak has dug into the latest legal dirt from the 32nd Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, and we’re here to douse those flames with some snarky
Pure Speculation Discrimination Claims: When “What Else Could It Be?” Becomes Your Legal Nightmare
You’re sitting in your office on a Tuesday morning, coffee still warm, when HR walks in with that look. You know the one. An employee has filed a discrimination complaint, and their smoking gun evidence is essentially: “I feel treated badly, and I’m in a protected class, so… what else