Aerospace & Defense
The aerospace and defense sector is experiencing unprecedented complexity and growth—accelerating AI integration, autonomous systems deployment, supply chain volatility, and intensifying geopolitical pressures that demand both speed and precision. Stradling’s Aerospace & Defense team operates where innovation intersects with national security imperatives colliding with commercial objectives, and billion-dollar programs hinge on getting the details right. We represent the full spectrum of industry participants, including emerging space ventures and eVTOL developers, established prime contractors, critical tier suppliers, venture capital and private equity investors, and dual-use technology companies pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Our lawyers don’t just understand the aerospace and defense industry—we are fluent in the business drivers, procurement realities, and competitive dynamics that define success.
Our capabilities span the entire commercial lifecycle of the aerospace and defense sector. We bring particular strength to areas that matter most to today’s most progressive and cutting-edge companies. Our team structures complex M&A transactions, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships while navigating issues such as CFIUS regulations and national security considerations without sacrificing deal momentum. We safeguard the intellectual property that results in competitive advantages—from AI-enabled systems and autonomous platforms to advanced materials and propulsion technologies. Our commercial and technology skills include negotiating data rights, software licensing, cybersecurity requirements, and teaming arrangements that determine program profitability. We also advise on the highly specialized real estate and infrastructure needs of manufacturers, test facilities, and secure installations—understanding that operational requirements and security protocols shape every lease and development agreement across this industry.
What distinguishes our experienced team is the integration of proven legal prowess with undeniable industry fluency and know-how. We recognize that “speed to field” isn’t just a defense buzzword—it’s a business imperative that requires legal strategies built for velocity, not obstruction. Whether our client is scaling production to meet defense modernization demands, navigating the regulatory complexities of commercial space operations, managing supply chain risk in a fragmented global environment, or positioning the company for the next wave of defense innovation, our lawyers deliver counsel that moves at the pace of business. Clients don’t come to us for academic legal analysis—they come because we solve problems, clear paths forward, and help them capitalize on the opportunities that permeate the world’s most demanding and consequential market. Our practice includes advising on aerospace and defense related:
- M&As, divestitures, venture capital, private equity, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and cross-border transactions, including national security and regulatory solutions
- Patent prosecution, trade secret protection, IP portfolio management, licensing, technology transfers, and enforcement of aerospace, defense, and dual-use technologies
- Complex software agreements, data rights negotiations, technical data packages, and commercial technology arrangements
- Entity structuring, corporate governance, and organizational matters for defense contractors and aerospace ventures
- Acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, and development of manufacturing facilities, R&D campuses, secure facilities, and specialized aerospace infrastructure
- Security clearance programs, executive compensation, non-compete agreements, workforce reductions, and immigration support (we can ID immigration lawyers, but don’t do this work) for technical talent
- Debt financing, securities offerings, SPAC transactions, restructuring, and financial advisory for aerospace and defense companies
