Randy T. Austin

Randy Austin chairs the firm’s First Amendment and Religious Organizations practice group. He serves as lead outside controversy and crisis counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has managed crises and litigated significant controversies in most states in the US and several foreign countries. His practice emphasizes internal investigations, crisis management, litigation with special emphasis on child protection, and abuse prevention and response.

 

Mr. Austin is recognized as one of Utah’s Legal Elite for Litigation and is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Education

• Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School, JD, summa cum laude, 1992
  • Executive Editor, BYU Law Review
  • Order of the Coif
• Brigham Young University, BS, cum laude, 1989

Experience

• Successfully litigated and otherwise resolved hundreds of sexual misconduct claims
• Conducted hundreds of internal investigations relating to sexual misconduct throughout the United States and in many foreign countries
• Guest lecturer, Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
• Frequent lecturer on the topic of handling and preventing sexual misconduct claims

• United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court for the District of Utah
• Utah

• Judicial clerk to the late Charles Wiggins of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

• Member, Trial Law Institute
• Member, Diversity Law Institute
• ABA
• TIPS Section Vice-chair of the Nonprofit Organizations Subcommittee, 2007-2008
• Giving Committee Chair, BYU Law School Alumni Association, 2006

• Utah Legal Elite: Civil Litigation (2009-2011, 2015, 2017-2021)
• AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America