JUSTICE LEONARD B. AUSTIN is a  graduate of Georgetown University in 1974 and Hofstra University School of Law in 1977.  Justice Austin engaged in the private practice of law until his election to the Supreme Court Bench in the Tenth Judicial District in 1998.

In his private practice, Justice Austin focused primarily on complex commercial litigation, matrimonial and family matters, personal injury and real estate matters. In 1980 and 1981, he served as counsel to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly. In that capacity, he was assigned as counsel to the Agriculture and Commerce and Industry Committees.

Since his elevation to the Bench, Justice Austin has been assigned to a Dedicated Matrimonial Part in Suffolk County (1999) and a Dedicated Matrimonial and Commercial Part in Nassau County (2000). In October 2000, and continuing to the present time, Justice Austin has been assigned full time to a Dedicated Commercial Part.  He is currently the Chairman of the Commercial Division Rules Committee.

Justice Austin currently serves on the Office of Court Administration’s Matrimonial Practice and Commercial Division Curriculum Committees. He is a member of the New York State, Florida, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and New York State Women’s Bar Associations.

Over the years, Justice Austin has authored several articles dealing with Equitable Distribution and New York City’s Forfeiture Law. Recently, he authored an article in the Banking Law Journal entitled The Impact of New York’s Commercial Division on Bank Litigation.  He is a frequent lecturer in the fields of commercial and matrimonial Law and practice and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School.