Austin Brittenham is a first-generation lawyer, legal tech founder, and the creator of 2nd Chair, an AI-powered tool designed to help solo and small firm lawyers work faster and smarter. In this episode, Austin and Kyla talk about space law, law school culture, and what it really means to use your legal education creatively. From debating in high school to launching two startups, Austin proves that you don’t have to follow the traditional legal path to make a meaningful impact.
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Austin Brittenham grew up in Boise, Idaho and studied law at the University of Mississippi after several years working in the tech world, including at Amazon’s headquarters. He is a first-generation lawyer, but not a stranger to advocacy, having competed in debate for seven years. During law school, Austin worked at a boutique IP and corporate firm and also held a legal role with a multinational space company. His interest in legal technology began before law school, but it was law school’s inefficiencies that pushed him to return to entrepreneurship.
“I started in part because I had had like an AI company in like the late 20-teens before law school," shares Austin Brittenham on You Are A Lawyer.
Today, Austin is the founder of 2nd Chair, an AI tool designed to support solo and small firm lawyers with litigation tasks like timelines, case analysis, and document drafting. His background in tech, law, and startup strategy uniquely positions him to build tools that are actually intuitive for lawyers, regardless of age or technical skill.
For Austin, law school was a strategic choice. After leaving a startup and spending time at Amazon, he decided to pursue space law, which led him to the University of Mississippi’s top-ranked program. While it might seem like an unconventional decision, Austin was committed to going all in, even if it meant moving thousands of miles to do it.
“If I'm serious about being a space lawyer, I'm going to move to the South. Like, there's no messing around," reflects Austin Brittenham on Episode 200 of You Are a Lawyer.
His choice wasn’t just about academics, it was about investing in a future with purpose. Law school offered the tools to combine his passions for advocacy, tech, and policy. And while he ultimately pivoted from space law to entrepreneurship, he brought every skill with him.
Austin believes your law degree is a tool, not a blueprint. Whether you work in courtrooms or startups, it gives you a unique ability to analyze, communicate, and advocate. He saw this firsthand while working at both small law firms and major corporations. Legal knowledge is helpful, but how you use it matters even more.
“The best lawyers are people who have some sort of knowledge besides the law in the subject domain that they're working on," shared Austin Brittenham on Episode 200 of You Are a Lawyer.
He encourages young lawyers to think outside the bounds of traditional practice. You can become a legal translator in tech, a policy strategist, or a product consultant. The key is learning how to apply your legal thinking in unexpected places.
Austin’s side hustle is now his full-time gig. He founded 2nd Chair while still in law school and used his background in AI and education startups to build something lawyers actually need. The tool creates litigation timelines, drafts legal materials, and helps lawyers save time and serve more clients. But it’s not just about software, it’s about increasing access to justice and making legal practice more sustainable.
“We can distribute more justice, we can serve more people—or just have more vacation,” expresses Austin Brittenham in Episode 200 of You Are a Lawyer.
Austin’s story reminds us that entrepreneurship doesn’t have to mean abandoning the law. It can mean expanding it, reimagining it, and making it more human. 2nd Chair exists because Austin saw a gap in the system and took the risk to build something better.
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Austin is not currently licensed to practice law.
Learn more about Austin | 2nd Chair
Kyla Denanyoh hosts the You Are A Lawyer podcast.
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