Austin is a trial tested litigator who is also trained in mediation. He leads the firm's family law practice and provides sophisticated representation to his clients during their cases. He also practices employment and disability law with an emphasis on discrimination and failure to accommodate claims. Austin has a unique legal perspective, which flows from working on hundreds of cases alongside a judge in a state trial court and federal court of appeals. He has a compassionate, empathetic, and tenacious personality.
Representing clients in divorce, child custody disputes, and post-divorce modifications, Austin learns about his client's goals and strategically approaches each case. He has demonstrated success in handling high-conflict parenting time and decision making issues including parental alienation dynamics, and complex financial issues including phantom income, tracing premarital assets, and the concepts of voluntarily unemployed or underemployed in the areas of child support and maintenance. He understands the impact that litigation has on the family unit and makes himself available to clients during non-business hours. He represents clients across the state of Colorado including the counties of Denver, Boulder, Jefferson, Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas.
Austin’s employment and disability practices are rooted in discrimination claims involving race, national origin, color, religion, sex, age and disability. While previously working for a prominent plaintiff law firm, he was part of the legal team that received one of the largest civil rights payments in the history of the City and County of Denver.
While obtaining his undergraduate degree, Austin was on the men’s ice hockey team and student government. During law school, he was a coach and judge for high school and middle school mock trial competitions. In his free time, Austin enjoys skiing and spending time with his family.
Awards and Honors
· 2019 & 2020 - Selected to Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” for Family Law in Colorado
· 2019 - Selected to "Top 10 Under 40" for Family Law in Colorado by National Academy of Family Law Attorneys
· 2018 & 2019 - Selected to "10 Best" Family Law Attorneys list for Colorado by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
· 2018 & 2019- Selected to "Top 10" Family Law Attorneys list for Colorado by Attorney and Practice Magazine
· Distinguished Service – United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Federal Circuit Court Judge Helene N. White
· Distinguished Service – Michigan Court of Claims and Ingham County Circuit Court, State Trial Court Judge Rosemarie E. Aquilina
· Attorney for Amicus Curiae Colorado Trial Lawyers Association in Bd. of Cty. Commissioners of Summit Cty. v. Rodgers, 355 P.3d 1253 (Colo. 2015) (reversing Court of Appeals)
· Second Place – International Law School Mediation Tournament, International Academy of Dispute Resolution
· All-Star Team Selection for Div. II American Collegiate Hockey Association and Team Captain of 2-Time High School State Champion in Ice Hockey
Professional Activities
· Association of Family and Conciliation Courts - Member
· Colorado Bar Association - Member
· Denver Bar Association - Member
· American Institute of Family Law Attorneys - Member
· University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Moot Court Board - Judge
Community Involvement
· Wish of a Lifetime: international non-profit fulfilling life-long wishes to our country's oldest generations - Pro Bono Counsel
· Denver Active 2030 Children’s Foundation: non-profit donating $1,000,000 + per year to at-risk youth - Member and Grant Review Committee
· Anti-Defamation League's Glass Leadership Institute - Sturm Fellow
Notable Family Law Case Results*
· Court granted directed verdict in favor of client during motion to restrict parenting time hearing
· Successfully represented a client at a contested, multiple day, Permanent Orders trial resulting in the court dropping the Temporary Protection Order against the client, increasing the client’s parenting time, and denying the opposing parties’ request to relocate to another state
· Reduced a client’s monthly maintenance/spousal support payment from $9,000 to $6,000, without filing a motion or court involvement, and attending mediation only
· Successfully defended a client in trial who was accused of parental alienation and received a court order granting the client’s request for 100% of the overnights and sole decision making for the children
· Traced a client’s premarital assets (separate property) dating back to the early 1980's, which were worth over $400,000, to remove the assets from distribution of the marital estate, and still negotiated a favorable pretrial settlement where the client received more of the marital estate than the opposing party, which exceeded $1,000,000
· Transferred an out-of-state court order to Colorado under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), attended a trial to modify parenting time and received a favorable court order granting all of the client’s requested modifications including substantial changes to the parenting time schedule
Notable Civil Litigation Cases*
· Colorado Supreme Court: Bd. of Cty. Commissioners of Summit Cty. v. Rodgers, 355 P.3d 1253 (Colo. 2015) (reversing and remanding to Colorado Court of Appeals)
· Federal Court: Aldrich v. Industrial Cooling Solutions, et al., 14-cv-03206 (D. Colo. 2014) (FLSA; breach of contract and wrongful termination in violation of public policy)
· Federal Court: Dines v. Visiting Nurses Association, 14-cv-03132 (D. Colo. 2014) (ADA disability discrimination and retaliation in employment context)
· Denver District Court: Krantz v. Dulacki, 2014cv34756 (Den. Dist. Ct. 2014) (Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act; attorney's fee award of $40,111 after finding denial was “arbitrary and capricious”)
Bar Admissions
· U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
· Colorado
Education
· Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, JD
· University of Northern Colorado, BA
*RESULTS ARE NOT GUARANTEED. THE FACTS AND LEGAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN EVERY CASE ARE UNIQUE AND WILL DICTATE THE OUTCOME.
