Overview

Austin counsels strategic clients, private equity funds, and their portfolio companies in executing merger and acquisition strategies and has extensive experience advising clients in connection with domestic and cross-border acquisitions and dispositions. Austin focuses his practice on transactions in the private middle-market. He also serves as trusted counsel to in-house legal teams and business principals on day-to-day governance and contracting issues.

Austin’s experience covers a breadth of industries and client types. Austin regularly advises clients in regulated industries on their investment and M&A strategies. This includes a significant number of engagements advising buyers and sellers in mortgage-industry transactions.

Austin represents investors and strategic buyers in alternative investments in the legal industry. He has experience evaluating and executing a variety of investment structures in the legal space including alternative business structures and managed service organization (MSO).

Austin represents NCAA athletes on a pro-bono basis in their NIL and revenue share agreements. He provides advice to universities and their athletic departments in connection with alternative revenue streams and private investment opportunities.

Experience

  • Represented private equity funds in multiple acquisitions and disposition transactions across industries including manufacturing, food processing, and consumer products.
  • Represented private equity portfolio companies in multiple add-on acquisition and strategic dispositions.
  • Represented EU-based manufacturer of handheld power equipment in first US acquisition.
  • Represented private equity fund in acquisition of growing casual restaurant chain and subsequent add-on acquisitions.
  • Represented publicly traded mortgage servicer in acquisition of reverse mortgage servicing platform.
  • Represented publicly traded lending business in multiple acquisitions and dispositions along with day-to-day corporate governance and contracting matters.
  • Represented Western European-based consumer business in acquisition of multi-jurisdiction e-commerce platform.
  • Represented a major US defense contractor in multiple strategic acquisitions and dispositions of key business and technology assets.
  • Represented multinational oil and gas business in dispositions and participations in joint ventures in mid-stream industry.
  • Represented private-equity owned, leading global component manufacturer in multiple acquisitions in the US, Europe, and Africa.
  • Represented publicly traded building supply company in multiple acquisitions.
  • Represented UK publicly traded conglomerate in acquisition of US-based energy services business.
  • Ongoing representation of multiple private equity fund portfolio companies in corporate governance and commercial contracting matters.
  • Represented private equity backed portfolio company in multiple acquisitions in mortgage origination and student loan industries.
  • Represented publicly traded building supply company in “go-private” transaction.

Accolades

Honors & Recognitions

  • Recommended in M&A: Middle Market ($500m-999m), Legal 500 United States, 2024-2025
  • Recognized with an Emerging Leaders Award, The M&A Advisor, 2024
  • Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Corporate and M&A Law (2022, 2024-2025) and Securities/Capital Markets Law (2024-2025)

Affiliations

Professional

  • American Bar Association

Insights

Events & Speaking Engagements

Publications

News

Education

JD, Duke University School of Law, 2014

BA, University of North Carolina, 2011

Admissions

Virginia

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