Austin J. Pierce

AUSTIN PIERCE advises companies, financial institutions, funds, and their leadership on strategies to advance corporate value, with a focus on the management of environmental, social, and political risks.

Blending legal experience with business pragmatism, he serves as a trusted advisor to companies across industries and market caps on matters such as:

• Corporate governance, including corporate culture, fiduciary duties, internal controls, crisis and risk management, policies, and board functioning
• Environmental regulations, programs, and compliance strategies
• ESG/sustainability strategies and disclosures, including on climate change, biodiversity, natural capital, circular economy, and human rights
• Geopolitical risk management
• SEC and other mandatory and voluntary disclosures
• Stakeholder engagement
• Value chain resilience, including supply chain due diligence

He also routinely counsels clients on the evaluation and management of such issues in a wide range of transactions, including capital market offerings, M&A transactions, and financial and investment products. Drawing from nearly a decade of experience working across the transactional ecosystem, Austin is able to tailor his advice to clients’ situations wherever they are in their corporate journey—from Series A to Fortune 500.

Austin advises clients from a variety of sectors, including: agriculture, biotech, consumer goods, defense, data centers, finance, food, energy, manufacturing, power, real estate, semiconductors, technology, telecoms, and transportation. He also has extensive experience helping clients to coordinate strategies across geographies, having advised clients on global initiatives as well as on efforts targeted to specific regions, including a strong background in emerging markets such as Latin America.

Strategic Advisory

• A consumer goods company on design and execution of a minerals diligence strategy.
• A global financial institution on preparation and announcement of its net zero strategy.
• An international organization on its human rights framework.
• Various companies on ESG/sustainability strategies, including development and review of policies, internal trainings, establishment/revision of sustainability-related targets and goals, sustainability-related disclosures and marketing claims, and environmental attribute matters (e.g., carbon offsets).
• Various companies on assessment and compliance with sustainability regulations, including harmonization across SEC disclosures, the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), California’s climate disclosure laws (e.g. SB 253, SB 261, and AB 1305).
• Various companies on supply chain assessments, including to mitigate risks/prepare for obligations under the EU Batteries Regulation, EU Deforestation-free Products Regulation, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, and conflict minerals rules.

Capital Strategies

• Initial purchasers in senior notes offering by Tidewater Inc.
• A large manufacturer in development of green bond framework and subsequent offering.
• A project developer on green loan for infrastructure project and related acquisition finance.
• A renewable energy company on its green credit facility.
• Underwriters in initial public offering by Amer Sports, Inc.
• Underwriters in initial public offering by Titan America SA.
• An upstream oil & gas producer in its initial public offering.

M&A

• Apollo Global Management in acquisition of Barnes Group.
• Carlyle in acquisition of Worldpac, Inc.
• A large metals company in business combination with peer in sector.
• A private equity firm in various investments in software/technology-enabled service companies.
• Targa Resources Corp. in acquisition of Stakeholder Midstream.

Funds

• Large asset manager on human rights training program.
• Large asset manager on review of sustainability disclosures, including assessment of regulatory risk across multiple jurisdictions.
• Various sponsors on periodic disclosures (e.g., Form ADV brochures), policy reviews, and related fund governance.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley. 

• Co-Chair, International Human Rights Committee, International Law Section, American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas, ILS Council (former)