J.D., The John Marshall Law School, 2001, cum laude

B.A., University of Maryland-European Division, 1995

Bar Admissions:  Illinois

Clerkships:  Hon. Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon, Hawai’i Supreme Court, 2001-2003

Courses Taught: Introduction to Legal Skills, Legal Skills I, Legal Skills II

Before joining the faculty of California Western School of Law in 2009, David Austin was an attorney at Jenner & Block LL.P. and Schoeman Updike Kaufman & Scharf in Chicago, Illinois.  He is experienced in complex litigation, including commercial disputes and product liability defense.  He served for two years as clerk to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawai'i.  Mr. Austin's trial experience includes participation in a twelve-day trial where he acted as lead associate representing a large private equity fund in a multi-million dollar claim by a creditor of an insolvent corporation to recover from the debtor's directors and from its parent, a venture capital fund.  Claims included piercing the corporate veil, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment.  All claims were resolved in favor of the client.  David has a special interest in asylum law and public interest work, and has provided pro bono service to the National Immigrant Justice Center (serving on its Leadership Council and as director of its Asylum Program) and the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago (as amicus in an Illinois Supreme Court case).  He has taught appellate advocacy at The John Marshall Law School, Chicago. Prior to embarking on a career in the law, Mr. Austin worked for the Italian Ministry of Health and with non-governmental organization in Italy and other European countries.  He was elected to the board of the European Council of AIDS Service Organizations and served as a representative for Southern Europe from 1991 top 1994.  In 1996,he was a visiting Research Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.

Publications:

• et. al., "Immigration and Naturalization Law, 45 INT'L LAWYER 329 (2011).
• Co-Author, "The Use of Toxicology in Tort Litigation:  A Survey of Federal and State Jurisdictions," ABA monograph 2005.
• Co-Author, "The Clergy Communications Privilege in TESTIMONIAL PRIVILEGES," 3d ed., THOMSON/WEST, (2005)  (co-author of treatise chapter).
• Author, "Punitive Damages:  The Current Unsettled State of Constitutional Limitations on the Permissible Ratio of Punitive Damages to Actual Damages," Illinois State Bar Association, 49 Trial Briefs No. 5, March 2004.
• Co-Author, Self-help organizations as an HIV-prevention tool among drug users in HEROIN:  HIV INFECTION AND CORRELATED PATHOLOGIES, Edizioni Leonard 1995 (in Italian).

Selected Presentations & Speaking Engagements:

• Speaker, Effective Advocacy for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago, IL  (Coordinator and Presenter for CLE program) (February 29,2008).
• Guest Lecturer, Introduction to the U.S. Discovery Process, Facultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey, Mexico (June 28, 2007)
• Guest Lecturer, Introduction to the U.S. Discovery Process, University of Lucerne Faculty of Law, Switzerland (May 12, 2007)
• Outreach Model for HIV Prevention Among Italian Intravenous Drug Users. X International AIDS Conference, Yokohama Japan (1994). Abstract available at http://www.aegis.com/conferences/iac/1994/PD0503.html
• Straight Talk and Cocktails:  Young People's Awareness Levels Regarding HIV, Heterosexual Risk and the Role of Alcohol and Non-Injectable Drugs.  IX International AIDS Conference, Berlin Germany (1993).  Abstract available at http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102206776.html
  

Bar and Community Service:

• American Bar Association (Section of International Law, Membership Committee)
• Illinois State Bar Association (Section and International and Immigration Law, Council Member and Task Force on Diversity)
• Chicago Bar Association (past Chair of Civil Rights Committee)