Our International Aerospace, Defence & Security Group (ADS) works as one team across our 23 office network and gives expert advice on all the specialist legal issues that arise across the whole of the ADS sector.
As well as their legal experience, many of our team have spent long periods of their careers working in-house within the industry. This gives us unrivalled experience of the industry’s key commercial dynamics. We are also extremely active members of ADS, UK Intellect, the Society of Satellite Professionals International and the British Aeronautical Society.
Aerospace
Aerospace, and in particular satellite communications and technology, is an area which plays to Bird & Bird’s key strengths as market leaders in technology. We advise companies that operate satellite communications systems, businesses offering satellite-related or space technology products and services and governmental institutions and investors seeking to enter the space industry. Our team advise in connection with space technology transactions and projects, including from the early stage conception of technology to the commercialisation of products for end users.
For more information, please contact Graeme Maguire
Defence
We have a long track record of working with the UK MoD and Government bodies across Europe in innovative technology matters. A number of our senior lawyers have worked in the industry and we understand the practical corporate governance and programme management realities of life in the sector.
For more information, please contact:
Air - Paul Briggs
Land - Simon Shooter
Sea - Richard Lucas
Security
We have in depth experience of major technology projects in the security field and have advised in relation to a number of highly sensitive non military government programmes. We also work regularly on deals in the private sector in which issues of IT and physical security are paramount, particularly in the financial services sector. In addition to our core commercial project and technology expertise, our team includes specialists in the related areas of data privacy and the regulation of investigatory powers.
For more information, please contact Mark Leach
Defence Seminars: The Breakfast Series
We host a series of Aerospace, Defence & Security breakfast briefings in London, every month except July and August. Our events take place around the middle of each month, and the series has previously seen seminars led by: Gerald Howarth MP, Dr Liam Fox, Guy Anderson, Vivian Robinson QC, Sash Tusa (in relation to the SDSR), Robin Southwell CEO EADS UK, Jacob Markish from Charles River Associates, Jeff Gazzard - Aviation Environmental Federation, Tim Banfield - Defence VFM Audit, National Audit Office, Wolf von Kumberg - Legal Director, Northrop Grumman and Dr Aris Georgopoulos, Head of Defence and Strategic Procurement Research Unit, PPRG, School of Law, University of Nottingham. Please contact Richard Lucas or Paul Briggs for more information.