Andrew Austin

Andrew handles product liability litigation, commercial disputes and consumer protection issues in the tech, life sciences, FMCG and retail sectors. He helps clients manage regulatory risks and engage with regulators.

He has acted on some of the most complex product liability litigation of the last decade, with particular expertise in the coordination and defence of cross-border class actions. He advises clients on the application of product liability and safety rules to emerging tech. He is a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group on Liability and New Technologies, as well as its Sub-Group on AI, connected products and other new challenges in product safety.

He also advises clients on consumer protection-related investigations.

Andrew is the global co-head of Freshfields' consumer and life sciences sector group and helps lead his firm’s LGBT+ network group, Halo.

Member of the British Institute for International and Comparative Law’s product liability forum. Member of the Commission Expert Group on Liability and New Technologies and AI/product safety Sub-Group to the Consumer Safety Network (CSN).

Andrew has written widely on consumer protection, product liability, and the EU representative actions regime.

Andrew attended University of Oxford and the College of Law. He speaks English, French and German.