Austin Manes

 Austin has extensive experience applying domestic and foreign privacy and cybersecurity laws, including sector-specific US regulations in healthcare, finance, internet, advertising, education and critical infrastructure. He assists clients with cybersecurity incidents in real time, from containment through recovery and post-incident notification obligations.  Austin also counsels companies on their cybersecurity and privacy preparedness, including tabletop exercises for management and oversight duties for board members.  He provides risk assessments on companies’ privacy and data security programs, often in the M&A context, and leverages years of experience litigating cybersecurity patents to advise on industry-standard cybersecurity practices. Austin has implemented cybersecurity and privacy programs and policies for Fortune 500 companies, and smaller organizations across a broad range of industries. Austin has obtained the following certifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP): CIPM (Privacy Program Management); CIPP/US (US Privacy Laws); CIPP/E (European Privacy Laws); and PLS/FIP (Fellow of Information Privacy, the IAPP’s most advanced privacy law certification).

In addition to his privacy and cybersecurity practice, Austin counsels clients on the rapidly evolving patchwork of Artificial Intelligence laws and regulations.  His advice covers both new AI legislation, existing laws that affect the use of AI across various sectors such as IP, privacy, employment, and consumer protection, and the developing jurisprudence and litigation based on those existing laws.  Austin counsels developers and deployers of AI tools on product design and development, internal policies and controls, transparency and bias-audit requirements, and offers proactive advice based on emerging trends in AI regulation.

Austin is an accomplished trial lawyer with over 10 years of experience in complex commercial litigation. His notable cases include representing an early innovator in cybersecurity whose intellectual property generated more than $350 million, and helping an internet security company obtain the largest patent infringement verdict in U.S. history. Austin represents insurance companies and advises clients on cybersecurity liability coverage. He has also won numerous appeals in the 9th Circuit, Federal Circuit and California Courts of Appeal, and has successfully litigated against federal administrative agencies.

Austin dedicates significant time to pro bono matters. He volunteers his time and legal services to veterans' associations and serves on the board of a Bay Area charity that donates millions to local causes.

Austin worked in the chambers of the Honorable John T. Noonan Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the Honorable A. James Robertson II of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco.  Prior to his legal career, Austin served a distinguished four-year enlistment in the U.S. Army. As an infantry team leader, he had the distinct honor of being selected as a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. He was decorated twice for exceptionally meritorious service and achievement under stress.