Austen Erhardt

Austen is building a diverse litigation practice, with a focus on constitutional, commercial, administrative and environmental law.

Austen received his J.D. from the University of British Columbia, graduating as a Wesbrook Scholar. As a law student, he volunteered with the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program, Pro Bono Students Canada and the UBC Law Review, worked as a research assistant, and was co-chair of the UBC Environmental Law Group.

Austen received several awards in law school, including course prizes for Contract Law, Public International Law, and the Business Law Clinic. He was also a finalist in the Laskin Moot, receiving the J.S.D. Tory Prize for Advocacy.

Prior to law school, Austen worked as a communications and strategy consultant. After articling with Hunter Litigation Chambers, Austen clerked for three Justices of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia, before returning to the firm as an associate.

Notable Cases

Ratanshi v. Kalra, 2024 BCSC 283 (with Brian Duong): acted for the plaintiffs Hanif Ratanshi, Hanifs Foods Ltd. and Hanif’s International Foods Ltd. in successfully obtaining a pre-trial asset freezing order (also known as a Mareva injunction) against the defendants Guruji Foods Inc. and their principal. Counsel was also successful in opposing a pre-hearing objection to the admissibility of two of the plaintiffs’ reply affidavits (2024 BCSC 393).

News

September 2026

The British Columbia Access to Justice Centre for Excellence, represented by Catherine Dauvergne K.C., with assistance from Austen Erhardt, has been granted leave to intervene in the appeal concerning British Columbia’s new Legal Professions Act. The Centre will argue that access to justice has a constitutional character and is important to consider in evaluating the legislation. The appeal will be heard in mid-November.