Damian Austin signed the Bar Roll on the 10th February 1977, read with E.W. Gillard [as he then was] and has practised extensively in a broad range of commercial and tribunal cases.

He has been a member of a number of professional bodies including;
* the Commercial Law Association;
* the Bar's representative on the Administrative Law Committee [Joint Standing Committee of the Bar and the Law Institute of Victoria];
* the Building Dispute Practitioners' Society;
* a founding member of the then Victorian Society for Computers and the Law.

A number of diverse cases in which Damian has appeared as Counsel include;
* The Royal Commission into the Australian Meat Industry.
* Transport Industries Insurance Co. Ltd. v Longmuir [1997] 1 VR 125 [Insurance Arson]
* Nunin Holdings Pty Ltd v Tullamarine Estates Pty Ltd [1994] 1 VR 74 [Sale of Land - Offer and Acceptance].
* Westsub Discounts Pty Ltd v Idaps Australia Ltd (1990) 17 IPR 185. [Trade Practices].
* Semple v Shire of Kilmore & Anor [1990] VR 88 [Extractive Industry - Town Planning]
* Qenos Pty Ltd v Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd (No. 1) [2002] VSC 379 (Arbitration).
* Qenos Pty Ltd v Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd (n0. 2) [2002] VSC 524 (Arbitration).
* Patrick v Capital Finance Corporation (Australasia) Pty Ltd & ors [2004] FCA 120 [Trade Practices].

Damian is a Mediator and in addition to appearing in a variety of arbitrations and mediations, has acted for statutory authorities and insurance companies.

His articles on native title have been published as described below:
"Mabo - Sorting the Fact from Fiction", Commercial Law Quarterly, Volume 7 No. 4 December 1993; Australasian Drilling, Volume 12 No. 6 November/December 1993.
"Mabo - An Attempted Shield", Commercial Law Quarterly, Volume 9 No. 1 March 1995.

Damian was formerly a part time member of the Liquor Licensing Panel pursuant to the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 for the period 1999 - 2006 [inclusive].

Professional Standards Act 2003 [Vic] "Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation."