Gina Austin

Managing Attorney at Austin Legal Group, APC

Gina is an executive with over 20 years experience building successful businesses through strategy development, funding roadmaps and operations in start-up and rapid growth companies. Gina started Austin Legal Group in January of 2009. Her practice areas include corporate and securities transactions as well as land use entitlements. Most recently Gina’s practice has primarily focused on the cannabis industry.

In June of 2009 she was recruited by California Vision, Inc. due to her legal expertise in land use and environmental regulatory issues, broad business success, and significant start-up operations expertise. Prior to joining California Vision, Gina spent six years in the legal profession representing private citizens, businesses, military and government entities on land use, zoning and planning, litigation, environmental regulation and permitting as a private attorney and at the specialty law firm Worely Schwartz Garfield and Prairie. As an attorney, Gina’s clients have included several large materials construction companies with revenues in excess of $3 billion, master planned communities with 1,500 to 3,000 private homes, and the City of San Diego.

Prior to obtaining her law degree, Gina provided strategic and business planning advice and consulting services to early-stage technology companies. As Managing Director of Knowledge Transfer from 1996 to 2003, Gina worked with companies to define technology and product development strategies, evaluate and develop business and operational plans, create funding roadmaps, and prepare executives for public speaking engagements. During this time she was also a business plan and panel reviewer for the Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology and the City of San Diego Emtek Program. She was a Board Member for the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (now WITI), Navajo Community Planners, Inc., and The Foundation of Gage Elementary School.

Gina has represented cannabis companies with regard to regulatory compliance and funding strategies since 2013. Austin Legal Group currently advises cannabis companies of all types in dozens of jurisdictions throughout California as well as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. Gina’s experience in land use entitlement has provided a foundation for great success obtaining permits from local municipalities. As a seasoned securities attorney, Gina also advises cannabis companies on funding strategies and the public markets.