Joseph D. Austin

BIOGRAPHY

Joseph Austin is an associate in the Fort Worth office’s Litigation section. Mr. Austin represents corporate and individual clients in state and federal courts involving complex commercial disputes and bankruptcy matters.  His experience includes all stages of litigation, from pleadings through discovery, motion practice, and contested hearings.

Prior to joining Kelly Hart, Mr. Austin was a litigation associate at Padfield & Stout LLP in Fort Worth, Texas, where he gained valuable experience representing clients in a variety of commercial and bankruptcy litigation matters.

Mr. Austin has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star by Thomson Reuters since 2019.  In addition to his professional service, Mr. Austin fulfills his commitment to the community through his service on the Board of Directors of Cancer Care Services.  Mr. Austin is also actively involved in the Tarrant County Bar Association, the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, DFW Association of Young Bankruptcy Lawyers, and Bankruptcy Law Section Young Lawyers Committee.

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS

Represented clients in a variety of commercial and bankruptcy litigation matters, including:

• Successfully led a 3-day injunction trial regarding importation of UTV s from China, including preparation of oral briefs, delivery of opening and closing statements, handling direct testimony for witnesses, and cross-examining
• Obtained favorable nondischargeable judgment for client through motion for summary judgment in adversary proceeding, permitting client to pursue $1,085,150 debt
• Counseled secured creditors in all aspects of Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 bankruptcy filings including drafting of pleadings and handling of contested hearings

AFFILIATIONS

• Tarrant County Bar Association
• Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
• Cancer Care Services, Board Secretary
• Leadership Fort Worth 2025

HONORS

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Best Lawyers®, U.S. News & World Report, 2023-2025
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation – Real Estate
• Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2024
  • Business Litigation
• Top Attorney, 360 West magazine, 2022-2024
  • Bankruptcy and Workout
  • Bankruptcy Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
• Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2023, 2024
  • Litigation

EDUCATION

• Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2016
  • Board of Barristers, Vice-Chair of Appellate Advocacy, 2015-2016
• Abilene Christian University, B.B.A., cum laude, 2013
  • University Honors

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of New Mexico
• State Bar of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, New Mexico
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

Speeches & Publications

• Moderator, Tarrant County District Court Judge’s Panel on Discovery Disputes, TCYLA, April 2024
• Speaker, “You Have a Judgment, Now What? Tips and Strategies for Collecting a Judgment in Texas,” TCYLA CLE, May 2022
• Co-Author, “What Texas Bankruptcy Judges Wish You Knew About Virtual Hearings,” State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Law Section Quarterly Newsletter, 2021
• Speaker, “Automatic Stay in Light of City of Chicago v. Fulton,” Bankruptcy Bench Bar Conference, April 2021
• Cross-Collateralization and a Debtor’s options under Section 1325(a)(5), American Bankruptcy Institute, January 2019
• Speaker, “Bankruptcy I0I,” El Paso Bar Association, 2018