Austin is a corporate and financial services lawyer specialising in investment funds and hedge funds.
He helps domestic and international fund managers to understand and navigate all aspects of the Australian regulatory regime including establishing and restructuring investment vehicles, Australian financial services licensing, disclosure obligations and negotiating contracts.
Austin is ranked in Chambers Asia-Pacific as a leading Investment Funds practitioner, with clients noting that he is a lawyer who can "balance the law with the commercial aspects and tailor his advice to the realities." He is also ranked in Best Lawyers under Funds Management and named as a leading individual in Financial Services Regulatory in The Legal 500. He was nominated by in-house counsel and peers to appear in the Experts Guide: Guide to the World's Leading Investment Funds Lawyers as an outstanding practitioner in this field. In 2019, his contribution to policy development was recognised with an industry leadership award from the Financial Service Council. He is the author of the Australian chapters in the ICLG publications on Alternative Investment Funds and Public Offer Funds.
Advising on a number of regulatory matters, including the preparation of a product disclosure statement for the Emerging Leaders Fund.
Acting on the establishment and launch of AllianceBernstein’s registered funds for the retail market.
Acting for Macquarie Investment Management Ltd on the MBO sale of its private equity business.
Acting for a number of SEC registered investment advisers on obtaining the foreign financial services provider ASIC class order exemption from holding an Australian financial services licence.
Acting for Mason Stevens Ltd on the establishment and offers of its registered and unregistered funds.
Partners Austin Bell and Matthew Shanahan have written the Australian chapter for the International Comparative Legal Guide: Public Investment Funds 2022.
On 20 December 2021, the Department of the Treasury of the Australian Government released the Treasury Laws Amendment (Measures for Consultation) Bill 2021.