Austin Buerlein Esq.

Mr. Buerlein has been continuously employed in the legal profession since moving to Atlanta after college in 2001, and is currently licensed to practice in all State courts, including the Court of Appeals of Georgia and the Supreme Court of Georgia, as well as the Federal Court in the Northern District of Georgia. His practice has concentrated primarily in the area of Divorce & Family Law, where he has successfully represented over 1,000 clients, and has tried over 200 trials/hearings in various courtrooms throughout the state of Georgia. His clients have included professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, business executives, business owners, commissioned salesmen, entrepreneurs, pilots, brokers, teachers, stay-at-home mothers and homemakers, and individuals from virtually all walks of life.

Austin is an active member of the State Bar Family Law Section, the Atlanta Bar Family Law Section, and the Cobb & Gwinnett County Family Law Section, and he has been a featured author in the area of divorce and family law in various publications, including The Family Law Review, The Annual Family Law CLE Handbook, The Judges Bulletin, among others, as well as has been a featured speaker at various symposiums on divorce and family law topics. He has earned various recognitions for his skills as a divorce and trial lawyer, including recent selections as a “Georgia Super Lawyer” by Atlanta Magazine; “Top 40 in Matrimonial Law” by The National Advocates; “Top 20 Under 40 in Atlanta” by A.C.N.; awarded the highest possible rating of “Superb” by the attorney rating service AVVO; as well as selected (by Judges and other prominent Family Law practitioners) to be a Barrister in the Family Law Inns of Court; among other prestigious accolades for his achievements and skillsets in and out of the courtroom. Austin has also helped make new law in the area of Family Law, through handling cases before both the Supreme Court of Georgia and Georgia Court of Appeals.

Prior to O&B, Austin worked as an attorney for Browning & Smith, LLC in Marietta, practicing exclusively in the area of Family Law. Before that, he started and chaired a Family Law practice at the mid-size firm Rutherford & Christie, as well as worked on the firm’s commercial litigation team representing various corporate clients, including ones with international presence, such as Delta Air Lines and Chick-fil-A, in various complex litigation matters. Prior to R&C, Austin worked as an attorney at the Ordway Law Group, and at the law firm of Margaret Gettle Washburn, P.C., where he concentrated almost exclusively in the area of Divorce & Family Law. His experience also includes working as a Summer Associate for Bank of America’s Global Legal Department, an Assistant in the Family Law group at Lawler, Tanner, Zitron & Pachman, P.C., and an Assistant in business development area at Troutman Sanders.

Education

  • The John Marshall Law School
    • J.D.
  • James Madison University
    • Major: Business
  • University of Innsbruck, Austria

Bar Admissions

  • Georgia
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • S. District Court Northern District of Georgia

Published Works

  • “Use of ‘BLS Reports’ to Prove Earning Capacity in Support Cases”; The Family Law Review, 2018 Winter Edition
  • “Interview with Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Childs”; Cobb Bar Family Law Newsletter; July, 2016
  • “Effective Use of Trial Briefs in Family Law Trials”; Annual Family Law Institute Handbook, 2016
  • “Sullivan v. Sullivan: An Example of Treatment of Appreciation in Value of Pre-Marital Stock in a Closely-Held Business”; B.S. Blogs; 2014
  • “TPOS: A Potential Way to Cure that Alienation’ of Affection by your Citizen Spouse”; The Family Law Review; 2010
  • “The Default Status of Alimony, post Rivera v. Rivera”; Gwinnett Bar Association Newsletter, December, 2009
  • “Interview with Judge William Ray”; The Family Law Review, 2008; also featured in Gwinnett Bar Association Newsletter, 2007
  • “Interview with Judge Michael Clark and Staff Attorney Greg Lundy”; The Family Law Review, 2008
  • “Give an Inch, Lose a Yard; the Implications of Lerch v. Lerch Case in Divorce Litigation”; Gwinnett Bar Association Newsletter, November, 2007
  • “The Admissibility of Polygraph Examinations”; Annual Family Law Institute Handbook, 2007
  • “Time Requirements for Motions”; Judges Bulletin, Spring, 2007

Classes / Seminars

  • “National Child Support Trends (and its Impact on Georgia)”; Presenter/Lecturer for the Cobb County Annual Family Law Seminar; February, 2017
  • “Hot Tips: Use of Trial Briefs;” Presenter/Lecturer at CLE to over 500 family law attorneys and Judges throughout the state; May, 2016
  • “Updates on Grandparent and Third-Party Custody Claims in Georgia;” Presenter/Lecturer for the Family Law Inns of Court presentation to over 40 lawyers & Judges; April, 2016
  • “Evidentiary Challenges in a Divorce Case: from Writings & Photos, to Text Messages and Social Media;” Presenter/Lecturer at CLE to over 300 lawyers from across the country; November, 2014
  • “Successful Trial Practice;” Presenter/Lecturer at CLE to over 100 lawyers; February, 2013
  • “How to Lay Foundation of Evidence at Trial;” Presenter/Lecturer to The John Marshall Law School; October, 2012

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Charles Longstreet Weltner Family Law American Inn of Court
  • Cobb Bar Association, Family Law Section
  • State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section
  • Gwinnett Bar Association, Member

Past Employment Positions

  • Browning & Smith, LLC, Attorney, 2012 – 2017
  • Rutherford & Christie, LLP, Attorney, 2011 – 2012
  • Ordway Law Group, LLC, Attorney, 2008 – 2011
  • Margaret Gettle Washburn, P.C., Attorney, 2006 – 2008
  • Bank of America’s In-House Legal Department, Summer Associate, 2006 – Present
  • Lawler, Tanner, Zitron & Pachman, P.C., Family Law Paralegal/Legal Assistant, 2003 – 2005
  • Troutman Sanders, LLP, Assistant, 2001 – 2003

Fierer & Buerlein

Competent, Committed And
Compassionate Counsel In Family Law

Fierer & Buerlein’s attorneys pride themselves on providing both competent and caring representation. We are grateful for the opportunity to assist clients move from fear to confidence in connection with the formation, separation, maintenance, reunification and dissolution of family relationships.