Austin Brane

Represented hundreds of the nation’s largest school districts against e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, Inc. and Altria Group (Philip Morris) in litigation alleging the defendants targeted underaged youth and caused an e-cigarette epidemic in schools, resulting in a historic $1.9 billion settlement. Currently representing school districts across the country in litigation against Meta, TikTok and other social media companies related to the platforms’ role in causing a youth mental health crisis in school-aged students. Served on the Lead Class Counsel team for multiple high-profile securities class action litigations in federal courts across the country. Austin is a partner with an emphasis in complex litigation. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts around the country in matters ranging from mass torts, class actions, antitrust litigation, consumer protection, contract disputes, fraud, and civil RICO.

Several of Austin’s cases have made national headlines, including Austin’s recent work on behalf of school districts concerning the youth e-cigarette epidemic, which was featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Good Morning America. Austin was a member of the University of Kansas Law Review, where he graduated in 2012. During his third year of law school, Austin externed for the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, where he supported the office in all phases of the criminal justice process. Austin was certified pursuant to Kansas Rule 719 to appear on behalf of the office and did so on multiple occasions.