Overview
Austin founded the firm with Herbert Cohen in 1951. He has played an active role in shaping the firm since that time, having maintained an extremely active practice in the areas of land use planning, zoning, wetlands, real estate development, and industrial and commercial leasing.
Austin was honored in 2007 with the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award by the Connecticut Bar Association's Planning & Zoning Section. The award was given "in recognition of longstanding distinguished service as a planning and zoning lawyer, to clients, to the profession, to the community, to strong ethical practices and to the advancement of knowledge, to writing, lecturing and similar pursuits". In 2008, he received the Career Service Award from the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association.
Credentials
Education
Harvard Law School, LL.B, cum laude, 1951
Yale University, B.A., 1948
Admissions
- Connecticut
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers in America®, "Lawyer of the Year" for Real Estate, 2009 and 2013
Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation-Land Use & Zoning , 2011-2021
Best Lawyers in America®, Land Use and Zoning, 2007-2021
Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 1987-2021
Connecticut Super Lawyers®, Land Use/Zoning, 2006-2009, 2011-2016
Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ Peer Rating
Connecticut Bar Association's Planning & Zoning Section, Lifetime Achievement Award
Moffly Media's "Top Lawyers in Fairfield County", Land Use Environment, 2021, 2023
Greater Bridgeport Bar Association, Career Service Award, 2008
Newsroom
News
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association
Connecticut Bar Association,
• Planning & Zoning Executive Committee, Past Chairman
Greater Bridgeport Bar Association
Connecticut Bar Foundation, Board of Directors
Connecticut Bar Journal, Board of Editor
American College of Real Estate Lawyers
American Inns of Court, Past Member and Officer, Attorney Trial Referee