Mark S. Askanas

Mark S. Askanas is a principal in the San Francisco, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He joined the firm in 1988 and is a senior employment law litigator who has served as lead counsel for cases in state and federal courts, as well as arbitration forums, throughout the western United States.

Mark practices all forms of complex litigation, including class actions and cases involving trade secrets and confidential information. He also counsels employers on all facets of employment law including, but not limited to, wage and hour issues and best preventive employment practices. He regularly speaks throughout the United States to employer groups and trade associations on these and other topics.

Mark also has substantial in-house experience having served as general counsel of a Fortune 500 company where he worked closely with the board of directors, audit committee, and senior management managing risk and advising on legal developments and issues, including Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, corporate governance, transactional matters, and preventive nationwide litigation and class action avoidance strategies.

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2024-present)
• California Super Lawyers^®, “Super Lawyers” (2010-2020)

Published Works

• “Retailers Beware: Statements May Not Be Protected,” Employment Law 360 (April 19, 2010)
• “Strict Liability in Sexual Harassment: Too Strict a Standard,” California Employment Law Journal .12 (December 1997, Assisted in Updating Chapters)
• “Sexual Harassment in the Physician Workplace,” California Physician (April 1991)