James Austin

James Austin joined Birketts in 1989, following five years of training and qualification at a leading City firm.

He quickly progressed to become a partner in Birketts’ corporate team and has since played a pivotal role in its success and in the wider growth of the Firm.

James was previously Head of Corporate before becoming Senior Partner for 8 years. Since stepping down from that role in 2024, James has continued as a member of the corporate team providing supervision to more junior members of the team. He is also responsible for handling complaints and is currently the firms MLRO and MLCO in his capacity as Director of Client Care.

With his breadth of experience, James is uniquely positioned to advise partnerships on the challenges of transitioning to a more corporate structure while preserving their culture and ethos.

Experience & education

1989 Joined Birketts

1986 Qualified as a Solicitor