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Biography

Austin focuses his practice on business litigation.

He represents a range of clients, including individuals, businesses, and government entities, and has assisted clients in both federal and state courts, including the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Kentucky Supreme Court, United States Sixth Circuit, and United States Supreme Court. His practice covers a wide variety of claims, including contract disputes, shareholder disputes, U.C.C. Article 2, corporate governance, trade secrets, restrictive covenants, consumer-protection, and a variety of business torts.  In addition to assisting clients with business disputes, he has a range of experience in federal law, including United States constitutional law, Section 1983, the Federal Arbitration Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Originally from Bowling Green, KY, Austin graduated from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law in 2020, with Order of the Coif Honors. While in law school, Austin served as Production Editor of the Kentucky Law Review and was awarded Best Legal Writing Brief. Before law school, Austin earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Religious Studies from Western Kentucky University. While enrolled, Austin presented academic papers on constitutional interpretation and textual biblical criticism. Austin also earned his Associate in Arts from Southcentral Community and Technical College. During his personal time, Austin enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, watching the Cincinnati Reds, building model ships, playing piano, and sampling and learning about cigars.

Other Info About Austin

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Business disputes

Represent shareholders in closely held organizations involving corporate governance challenges, employment disputes, and fiduciary-duty claims.

Represent and defend business and private parties in state and federal court for disputes concerning trade secrets, non-competition agreements, restrictive covenants, tortious interference, fraud, unfair competition, and defamation.

Represent and defend business and private parties in state and federal court for disputes concerning breach of contract, U.C.C. Article II disputes, and collection of judgments.

Defended nationwide consumer brand in federal court consumer-protection class action.

Government and Regulatory Experience

Successfully represented nationwide publisher in district court and on appeal concerning a public school’s refusal to disclose the publisher’s copyrighted instructional materials in response to a Kentucky open-records request, involving complex questions of federal jurisdiction and the Copyright Act.

Successfully advocated on behalf of the Governor of West Virginia as amicus in support of an emergency motion to the United States Supreme Court to vacate a stay halting progress on the Mountain Valley pipeline project.

Represented private parties in Section 1983 lawsuits against state agencies and officers.

Defend Kentucky administrative agencies in various litigations concerning complex constitutional, statutory, and equitable challenges to the agency’s authority, including disputes over multi-decade liabilities.

Defended state university in state-court litigation involving statutory governance duties, constitutional violations, and administrative-law restrictions.

Represented private parties in constitutional and administrative-law challenges against enforcement actions brought by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the FTC under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, including pre-enforcement federal court challenges and administrative appellate proceedings.

Defended regulated parties in response to civil investigative demands and consumer protection allegations from state Attorneys General.

Represented a winning bidder in appeal challenging the award of a government contract under a public RFP process.

Education

Law School

University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law, J.D., 2020, summa cum laude

Undergraduate School

Western Kentucky University, B.S., Political Science, 2016, summa cum laude

Clerkships

Austin served as a clerk for the court(s) and judge(s) below:

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Honorable Eugene E. Siler, Jr.

The United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Honorable Greg N. Stivers

Bar Memberships

Austin is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Kentucky, 2020

Courts

Austin is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Western District of Kentucky

Eastern District of Kentucky

Kentucky

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Louisville Metro Ethics Commission, 2025-2028

Louisville Catholic Bar Association, President, 2025

Witherspoon Institute Summer Seminar: Natural Law & Public Affairs, Princeton University, 2017

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Southcentral Community and Technical College, Alumni Advisory Board, 2023-Present

Major Publications

Austin is an author or contributor to the following publications:

“A Trio of Arbitration Cases: Clarifying the Scope of the Federal Arbitration Act,” Co-Author, The Arbitrator, October 2024.

“U.S. Supreme Court 2023-24 Term: Key Decisions and Industry Impact,” September 2024.

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