About Austin Burke
Austin Burke Nelson built a legal career that moved swiftly from public defense into private practice. He spent the early years of his career in Colorado’s public defender system, then spent a year as an associate at a private firm before launching his own practice in 2023. That arc shaped how he sees courtroom work and client care.
Nelson began working in the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office in 2017 as a deputy public defender. He later advanced to a senior deputy public defender role in 2021. Those years were spent handling matters on behalf of clients in Colorado courts and engaging with the practical demands of criminal defense at the trial level and in pretrial proceedings. In 2022 he moved to private practice as an associate at Robinson and Henry, P.C., then launched the Law Office of Austin Nelson, P.C. the following year.
He maintains professional ties across two jurisdictions. Nelson lists both Colorado and Georgia among the places where he holds licensure, and he holds membership in the State Bar of Georgia beginning in 2023. That dual presence reflects a career that has crossed state lines and legal settings. It also means his practice must balance differing procedural rules and courtroom cultures.
Colleagues and clients describe his background in public defense as formative. Years spent representing people unable to afford private counsel exposed him to a steady stream of courtroom work and quick case turnover. Those roles required routine appearances, written motions, negotiation over plea offers, and collaboration with investigators and mitigation specialists. His subsequent year as an associate in a private firm added experience in the operational side of a smaller practice and the responsibilities of managing client files in a fee-for-service setting.
In 2023 Nelson opened his own office in order to handle criminal defense matters under his own name. The Law Office of Austin Nelson, P.C. provides representation for individuals charged with crimes in the jurisdictions where he is licensed. He draws on his public defender experience and his time in private practice when advising clients, conducting hearings, and preparing cases for trial. He currently represents clients in criminal defense matters through his private practice.
