The aerospace industry continues to evolve. With increased activities in both the public and private sectors, U.S. aerospace companies are challenged to align the current legal and regulatory environment with the increasingly dynamic space environment. While new laws governing the industry have recently emerged, many existing laws do not address or anticipate technological change and can often become barriers in advancing commercialization.
Babst Calland’s team of Emerging Technology attorneys understand the legal and regulatory needs of clients developing and deploying these technologies. Our attorneys stay abreast of the myriad of federal, state and local laws and regulations impacting the industry, and the economic impacts of technologies such as advanced air mobility, commercial space, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones), robotics and autonomous systems.
Led by Practice Chair Justine Kasznica, Babst Calland is actively involved with the space industry, with several attorneys currently serving as general counsel for various aerospace contractors and suppliers and non-profit space organizations. As a founding member of the Pittsburgh-based Keystone Space Collaborative and the Moonshot Museum, Babst Calland actively supports the mission and vision of the growing space industry in the region.
Through our partnership with the Department of Defense and U.S. Space Force’s AFWERX/SpaceWERX hub in Pittsburgh, and frequent speaking engagements with NASA, DoD, and industry business and trade associations, we continue to collaborate with government, academia, and industry as thought leaders to accelerate and shape our future in space.
We support our aerospace clients by providing the necessary business, legal and regulatory advice that will help them to meet their strategic objectives and expand their business:
- Outside general business counsel
- Business structuring and planning
- Corporate finance and governance
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Commercial transactions
- Federal and state securities law compliance
- Technology and software licensing
- Intellectual property
- Data privacy and security
- Regulatory, legislative and policy counsel
- Employment and labor law
- Environmental law
Our experience and representative matters include:
- Serve as outside general counsel to companies in the aerospace, commercial space, robotics and autonomous systems industries.
- Advise on legal issues surrounding UAS, including commercial drones.
- Manage government inquiries and enforcement proceedings.
- Negotiate service contracts and technology development agreements
(NASA Space Act Agreements, SBIRs, STTRs, BAAs). - Negotiates technology commercialization licenses and funding agreements on behalf of aerospace, commercial space companies with universities, government agencies, and technology development laboratories.
- Draft, negotiate, and advise on agreements for companies in the aerospace, commercial space, advanced air mobility, and UAS industries.
- Advise on regulatory compliance and policy issues related to UAS, commercial space, and mobility robotics activities.
- Provide innovative mobility and safety approaches.
- Advise on FAA approvals and certifications, payload acceptance requirements, and other regulatory compliance requirements.
- Represent clients matters before the U.S. Department of Transportation, NASA Space Act Agreements, SBIRs, STTRs, BAAs, and other technology agreements.
- Provide day-to-day “outside” general counsel.
- Conduct risk management programs, reviews, and internal audits.
- Assist in legislative and rulemaking matters, including government affairs.
- Assist clients with capitalization, including state and federal funding, accelerator funding, angel investment, and corporate, private equity or venture capital financing.
- Support and develop new technology policies.
- Provide in-house legal and business-oriented training and ongoing support.
U.S. Supreme Court Issues Three Decisions Charting New Path for Federal Administrative Law
Firm Alert
Chevron is overruled; right to jury trial in many agency enforcement actions is guaranteed; and claim accrual date for Administrative Procedure Act claims are fixed. …
Space Law: Who Owns the Moon? — Justine Kasznica
PodcastAs a new space race heats up, we are travelling to a whole new world of legal questions for us on Earth — like ‘who owns space?’
Attorney Justine Kasznica, who is an expert on all things relating to ‘space law’ …
Pittsburgh’s Fast-Growing Space Industry — Emerging Tech Law Series
PodcastFor this episode, Pittsburgh Technology Council is talking with Justine Kasznica who is a shareholder and Chair of the firm’s Emerging Technology Practice. Justine is also at the center of the Pittsburgh region’s growing space industry. …
Justine Kasznica on Growing a New Space Economy for Our Region
VideoJustine Kasznica, Shareholder and Chair of the Emerging Technology Practice, discusses the growing space economy in the Pittsburgh region.
To view more, click here.
Growing a New Space Economy for Our Region
(By Daniel Bates featuring Justine Kasznica)
Pittsburgh Business Times
One of the first tasks of the Pittsburgh-based Keystone Space Collaborative was commissioning a market report to tally up all the tech companies and organizations from across the region — Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia — which are receiving funds from NASA or space-related grants from the Department of Defense. …
Keystone Space Collaborative Conference — Emerging Tech Law Series
VideoIn this episode of the Babst Calland Emerging Tech Law Podcast Series, Justine M. Kasznica, Esq., Shareholder and Chair, Emerging Technologies Group, details the inaugural 2022 Keystone Space Collaborative Conference that kicks off April 20 at the Carnegie Science Center. …
TechVibe Radio Explores the Pittsburgh Space Collaborative
PodcastOur region is becoming a hotbed of robotics, materials and innovation companies that are plugging directly into the space industry.
On this broadcast, Justine Kasznica, Babst Calland Shareholder and Head of the Emerging Technology Practice Group; …
