Terence M. Austgen

Biography

For more than four decades, Terence M. Austgen has concentrated his legal practice in significant civil litigation, labor and employment law and alternative dispute resolution. Born and educated in Indiana, Terry and his family are lifelong residents of Northwest Indiana.

Terry has had the privilege of representing Fortune 500 companies, national insurance companies and local businesses in the defense of wrongful death, serious personal injury and product liability lawsuits. He has been lead counsel in dozens of cases litigated to jury verdict in the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana and the in the State courts of Indiana. The diverse cases include toxic tort exposure lawsuits, significant commercial disputes and premise liability claims. He has successfully handled many appeals before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Indiana and the Indiana Court of Appeals. He also represented the prevailing party in litigation, negotiation and settlement of one of the largest property damage lawsuits in the State of Indiana.

Terry has also successfully defended employment discrimination claims involving Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA and Indiana Employment Discrimination laws. He has obtained injunctions in U. S. District Court and Indiana State courts for employers in labor disputes involving picket line misconduct. He has represented national employers in grievance and arbitration proceedings involving a wide range of collective bargaining agreement issues, employment disputes and employee discharges.

Terry believes that, in every case in which litigation is necessary, a client deserves the most vigorous, creative and cost effective representation in pre-trial matters and in trial. As a result of his years of experience in handling complex and challenging lawsuits, he also firmly believes that every effort should be made to fairly resolve disputes as quickly and as economically as reasonably possible. He is frequently selected as an arbitrator and has successfully resolved hundreds of cases as a mediator selected by the parties or appointed by the court.