Practice Areas

Federal Indian,
and Tribal Law

Complex Civil Litigation

Economic Consulting
and Expertise

Recent Awards, Certificates, and Associations:
» Top 40 Under 40, National Trial Lawyer, 2024
» BestLawyers: Ones to Watch, 2024
» National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA), State President 2024
» National Association of Forensic Economists, Member 2023
» Certified American Indian Law, University of Oklahoma, 2017

Austin’s journey to Indian law was set in motion long before law school, and he never fought it:  

On the evening of Nov. 27, 1864, Okohke (Crow) his partner, Ve’ho’eotota’e (Cow) and their daughter Bonhist(later called Medicine Woman) were at the Black Kettle Encampment in Colorado. Crow was one of about seventy-five (75) men left guarding the Encampment due to rising tension with local settlers as the other men were in a hunting party. On the morning of Nov 28, Colonel Chivington ambushed the camp with Union soldiers, slaughtering hundreds. In the Cheyenne language, that event is regarded as the Month of the Freezing Moon, but it is commonly referred to as the Sand Creek Massacre. Despite Colonel Chivington’s best effort, however, Cow and Bonhist survived. And, seven generations later, Austin was born.

After competing as an All-American Collegiate Debater and earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from the University of Central Oklahoma, Austin received his Juris Doctorate with Distinction and a certificate in American Indian Law from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2017. At OU Law, Austin served as Editor-in-Chief of the American Indian Law Review, joined the Order of the Barristers, and earned the American Jurisprudence Award in Federal Indian Law, Native American Natural Resources, and Wind Law. After graduating, he served as the youngest adjunct professor at OU Law teaching Indian law courses while also working full-time as a Gallogly Family Foundation Fellow at Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Inc.  

Austin then joined the prestigious law firm Whitten Burrage in Jan. 2019, working primarily with Michael Burrage—the first enrolled Native American to be appointed to the federal bench—and J.Renley Dennis on Federal Indian Law and Complex Civil Litigation. As part of Whitten Burrage's Indian law group, he regularly assisted the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Chickasaw Nation, Quapaw Nation, and other federally recognized tribes with their legal needs, such as general counsel services. Whitten Burrage is also where Austin learned to appreciate Judge Burrage’s Open Door Policy: If a client comes through the door, they would consider taking the case regardless of practice area. Consequently, Austin has developed a wide-ranging legal practice including everything from wrongful denial of insurance claims, trespassing oil and gas pipelines, oil and gas storage tank explosions, race-based harassment claims, civil rights abuses, intentional infliction of emotional distress,business disputes, business embezzlement/fraud, medical malpractice, child abuse, fiduciary duties, and wrongful death. Since founding All Rise!, Austin continues working in these areas but also offers services as a forensic economist. Whether it is an asset or property valuation, consultation on ongoing litigation, closing a business transaction, mediating a dispute, or providing expert damage testimony, few other economists can offer Austin’ sunique perspective.

A few of his recent projects include:  
» Developing a damage model for gas/oil pipelines that are trespassing on tribal reservation lands'
» Defending the Hamm Family and Continental Resources in Take-Private Litigation
» Servin gas counsel for the University of Oklahoma’s transition to the Southeastern Conference 

Of course, Austin’s economic-oriented services are available to support tribal economic development of any Nation or Tribe as well.