First Advantage Acquires R E Austin Ltd. — U.K. Purchase Continues International Growth Strategy —

R E Austin Ltd. was founded 20 years ago by Managing Director Ron Austin and focuses on financial services companies that are based or operate offices in the U.K. Since London is the main center for banking, investment management and insurance businesses in Europe , and for much of the world, R E Austin Ltd. is well positioned to serve the needs of employers in those markets. Today it is one of the largest background screening companies in the country, with 70 employees and an estimated 25 percent share of the local financial services market. The company also serves clients in the information technology, telecommunications and other industries.

Hiring activity in the financial services industry in London and other parts of the U.K. and Europe has been brisk, leading to the rapid growth of R E Austin Ltd. in recent years.

“R E Austin is an established company that is growing, well run and profitable and has an experienced staff as well as a loyal customer base,” said First Advantage Chief Executive Officer John Long. “Acquiring the company is an important step in our international expansion strategy, and First Advantage is committed to achieving market leadership in Europe as we already have done in Asia . We are pleased to welcome R E Austin employees and customers to First Advantage.”

“It gives me great pleasure to join such a highly regarded company,” said Austin, who plans to remain active in the business. “Our affiliation with First Advantage will present many opportunities to leverage its multinational presence and breadth of services for employers, further accelerating our local growth. We are also excited about the opportunity to provide enhanced service to existing First Advantage customers with a presence in Europe .”

First Advantage's Employer Services segment provides a comprehensive suite of global talent acquisition solutions specifically designed to reduce the time, cost and risk associated with candidate recruiting, applicant tracking, screening, assessments and ongoing retention processes. More than 1,300 First Advantage employees now work in international offices in India , China , Singapore , Hong Kong , Australia , Japan , the Philippines , the United Kingdom and Canada .

About First Advantage Corporation

First Advantage Corporation (NASDAQ: FADV) combines industry expertise with information to create products and services that organizations worldwide use to make smarter business decisions. First Advantage is a leading provider of consumer credit information in the mortgage, automotive and subprime markets ; business credit information in the transportation industry; lead generation services; motor vehicle record reports; supply chain security consulting; employment background verifications; occupational health services; applicant tracking systems; recruiting solutions; skills and behavioral assessments; business tax consulting services; insurance fraud, corporate and litigation investigations; surveillance; computer forensics; electronic discovery; data recovery; due diligence reporting; resident screening; property management software; renters insurance and consumer location services. First Advantage ranks among the top companies in all of its major business lines. First Advantage is headquartered in St. Petersburg , Fla. , and has more than 4,500 employees in offices throughout the United States and abroad. More information about First Advantage can be found at www.FADV.com .

First Advantage is a majority-owned subsidiary of The First American Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a FORTUNE 500 ® company that traces its history to 1889. First American is America 's largest provider of business information, supplying businesses and consumers with valuable information products to support the major economic events of people's lives. Additional information about the First American Family of Companies can be found at www.firstam.com .