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Attorneys

Kelly J. Austin

  • Title:
  • Partner
  • Areas of Practice:
  • Estate Planning; Estate Administration; Wills; Trusts
  • Born:
  • Cape Cod, Massachusetts
  • Education:
  • The College of William and Mary, B.A. Magna Cum Laude, 2013
  • Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 2016
  • Admitted to Practice:
  • 2016
  • Memberships:
  • North Carolina State Bar, Forsyth County Bar Association
Kelly J. Austin

Biography

Kelly J. Austin is a highly valued partner at Bailey & Thomas. She brings with her expertise in Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney) and Estate and Trust Administration. Admitted to the NC State Bar Association and Forsyth County Bar Association in 2016, Kelly’s journey began at the College of William and Mary, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2013. She then earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2016.

Kelly’s passion for estate law was sparked during her participation in an elder law clinic during her time at Wake Forest University. This experience shaped her career path, leading her to focus on helping families navigate estate planning matters.

While Kelly enjoys the technical aspects of drafting legal documents, she finds the most satisfaction in working directly with families. She excels at organizing the many moving parts of Estate Planning, creating seamless plans to address families’ needs and providing clients with much needed support and guidance during times of stress.

Outside of work, Kelly cherishes time with her husband, Chris, whom she’s been with since 2015 and married in 2021. She’s also devoted to her dog, Sadie. An avid sports fan, Kelly roots for New England teams, including the Red Sox, Patriots, and Bruins. Her love for the outdoors is evident in her hiking and running pursuits. Travel is another of her passions, with Scotland, Bermuda, and Cape Cod ranking as her favorite destinations.

Kelly is integral to our firm’s success, without her we would not be able to provide the quality and meaningful service we strive to contribute to our community. She is a wonderful person in both her professional and personal life and we are lucky to have her expertise and leadership here at Bailey & Thomas.