Desiree Austin-Holliday holds the position of Senior Associate Attorney at Ben Crump Law. The youngest of four children, she was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Rev. Dr. Sharon G. Austin and Michael Holliday. Her mother, the first female pastor at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, provided Desiree with early exposure to the impact and legacy of significant civil rights advocates throughout history.
Having relocated to Florida at a young age, Desiree has lived in various cities across the state. She earned her bachelor’s degree in government from Berry College in Rome, Georgia, in 2014, and later attended St. Louis University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri, graduating with her law degree in 2018.
During her law school years, Desiree actively participated in various organizations, including a community outreach program that taught law classes at local jails and juvenile detention centers. Her school and community involvement earned her numerous accolades.
Beginning her legal career as a criminal defense attorney, Desiree expanded her expertise over the years to include civil litigation and civil rights law. Her work has spanned cases involving police brutality, employment discrimination, workers’ compensation, municipal law, and OSHA safety regulations. Currently, as the supervising attorney at Ben Crump Law’s Las Vegas office, she leads a team of paralegals, overseeing cases and managing the firm’s considerable caseload.
Desiree has contributed to several high-profile cases, including the historic Malcolm X wrongful death case, the Hair Relaxer Mass Tort Litigation, the Astroworld Festival deaths, and advocacy for disenfranchised Black Farmers in litigation against the U.S. Government.
Outside of her legal endeavors, Desiree values spending time with her family, engaging in cooking, writing, and enjoying music. Her passion lies in helping individuals achieve their legal goals, firmly believing in providing everyone with access to justice and delivering the highest quality representation to her clients.
State Admissions
- Missouri
- Florida
- Georgia
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
Publications
- “Execution shouldn’t be torture,” The St. Louis American, January 2017
- “Guilty, not guilty, or black?” The St. Louis American, December 2016
- “Apologies that came too late,” The St. Louis American, December 2016
- “The death penalty is judicial murder,” The St. Louis American, October 2016
