Austin Atkinson
Biography
Austin represents businesses and individuals in litigation involving catastrophic injuries, professional-liability claims, contract disputes, construction defects, and RICO claims, among other things. He focuses his practice on appellate and post-trial litigation, including working with trial teams on legal issues in catastrophic-injury cases and other complex disputes.
Austin also teaches Georgia Appellate Practice and Procedure as an adjunct professor at Georgia State University.
Before entering private practice, Austin served as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Randal Hall of United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. He graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State University College of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, was on the editorial board for the Georgia State University Law Review, and was a pupil of the Bleckley Inn of Court.
Experience
- Obtained summary judgment for national food producer in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia in case involving claims premised on alleged OSHA violations.
- Obtained dismissal of breach-of-contract and RICO allegations for telecommunications company
- Secured affirmance of summary judgment for national transportation company in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit involving nuanced question of Georgia law.
- Obtained favorable settlement for senior-living business facing default judgment in Fair Labor Standards Act case after pursuing appeal.
- Successfully opposed request for pre-judgment interest in wrongful-death litigation.
- Obtained favorable settlement for property owner in nuisance litigation at summary-judgment stage.
- Counsel to health care provider in the Georgia Court of Appeals in ongoing dispute involving issue of first impression under Georgia’s apportionment statute.
- Counsel to insulation contractor in construction-defect dispute.
- Appellate counsel to multiple health care providers and hospitals in ongoing post-trial matters.
Credentials
Admitted
State Courts:
- Georgia
- Court of Appeals, Supreme Court
U.S. District Courts:
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
Appellate Courts:
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Education
- J.D., summa cum laude, Georgia State University
- B.S.A., Agribusiness, University of Georgia
Memberships
- American Agricultural Law Association
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- Georgia Bar, Appellate Practice Section
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
Recognition
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Insurance Law, Best Lawyers®, 2024
Presentations
- Recent Developments in AG Product Sellers’ and Farmers’ Rights in Contracting
State Bar of Georgia’s Agriculture Law CLE, March 24, 2023