Will Austin-Vautier

Will Austin-Vautier is Head of the Channel Islands Employment and Immigration team. He advises employers, entrepreneurs, family offices and senior executives on Jersey employment, immigration, discrimination, and data law – as well as the island’s bespoke regulations concerning residency, work and the regulation of undertakings.

Background and experience

An experienced employment law specialist, Will advises on the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious matters within the employment sphere – from employment and discrimination litigation, business start-ups, M&As and organisational change, to workforce management, trade union issues and contractual disputes. His practice also covers discrimination, data protection, housing and work controls, and broader regulatory issues.

Will regularly advises businesses establishing or expanding their presence in Jersey, helping employers navigate immigration requirements, employment considerations, and workforce-related aspects of business relocation.

Will has acted for some of the Channel Islands' largest private sector employers, senior finance industry executives, entrepreneurs and the family offices of ultra-high net worth individuals.

Will's practice comprises oversight of all listed Ogier employment and immigration services.

He joined Ogier in October 2018 from another offshore law firm, where he was the principal adviser on employment law and related matters.

He is a former Secretary of the Jersey Branch of the Employment Lawyers' Association and contributes to bodies including the Employment Forum. He previously participated in a working group convened by Jersey's government to consider data protection law changes ahead of the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation. He was also co-adviser to the appellant in Jersey's first employment case to be heard by the Jersey Court of Appeal.

Will co-authored the Guernsey chapter of the International Relocation and Tax Planning for High-Net-Worth Individuals: A Legal and Lifestyle Guide for Clients and Their Advisors, a global publication examining the legal, tax and practical considerations involved in international relocation for high net worth individuals and families.

Admitted in:
2014 - Jersey