Andrew Austin

Background

About Andrew Austin

I specialise in consumer law and product liability, including mass claims defence, in the tech, life sciences, FMCG and retail sectors. I also help clients manage regulatory risks and engage with (and sometimes challenge) regulators. I am ranked Band 1 by Chambers (2025) for Product Liability - Mainly Defendant and Life Sciences - Product Liability. I lead Freshfields’ market-leading disputes practice in the UK. I have defended some of the most significant multi-j product liability and data privacy litigation of the last decade, working with colleagues across our global mass claims practice. I have also helped tech and other clients manage major consumer protection investigations by the CMA and other European regulators. I have been a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group on Liability and New Technologies and its subgroup on AI and product safety. I am fascinated by questions of how the law is developing to govern new technological developments (e.g. VR/AR, the metaverse, AI, IoT), in order to mitigate potential harms and create products and environments that users will feel confident engaging with. I have long been involved with my firm's LGBT+ and allies network, Halo. I am also focussed on how we can use legal technology and other innovation to deliver legal services in an ever more agile and efficient way. Some client quotes (thank you!) from Chambers 2025-"Andrew is a fantastically skillful and perceptive lawyer. He focuses on solutions, presenting clear and direct recommendations in simple terms."-"Andrew is an extremely talented, commercial and committed professional. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in regulatory matters and is very strategic and pragmatic."-"Andrew is one of the few lawyers actually able to provide not only legal expertise, but also political context around the new rules for liability of defective products."-"It's very specific know-how you need and Andrew is the only one I would feel comfortable to do such a deal with. He certainly has the technical expertise and the deal experience."-"Andrew is always a pleasure to work with - he is extremely personable as well as an excellent lawyer."-"Andrew is highly agile and can handle a lot of documentation."