Defense Tech

As military technology continues to rapidly evolve, the need for state-of-the-art defense solutions is also growing, with more companies and investors participating in the defense tech and dual-use market than ever before.

Wilson Sonsini’s multidisciplinary defense tech team assists a broad spectrum of clients in this space, from innovative start-ups to established, SBIR-funded industry leaders. Comprised of a diverse subset of former government agency lawyers, military personnel, and executives from top aerospace and defense contractors, our team possesses deep knowledge of intricate government processes and has a proven track record of advising defense tech and dual-use companies in the U.S. and Europe on all aspects of their business.

We represent clients across several defense tech sub-sectors, including:

• AI, Data, and Advanced Analytics
• Mobility, Systems, Autonomous Systems, and Robotics
• Cybersecurity and Integrated Resilience
• Secure Communications and Edge Computing
• SaaS and Intelligence Platforms
• Advanced Hardware, Advanced Systems, Semiconductors, Quantum, and Materials
• Critical and Renewable Energy
• NewSpace

Drawing upon years of government-related experience, our attorneys are intimately familiar with the extensive and often complex set of rules that apply to companies participating in government contracts—including contracts involving classified information—and guide clients through the actions necessary to fulfill those requirements. Among other services, through our deep knowledge of the government acquisitions process, we navigate interactions with government agencies, prepare notifications and consents for contracts involving classified information, and tackle the range of challenges that may arise between the identification of mission requirements and the formation of the contract and closeout, providing support every step of the way. Our attorneys also provide strategic guidance to defense tech and dual-use clients on security clearance matters before the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) and other similar clearance approval agencies. Our clients include numerous companies currently doing business with the U.S. government, including defense agencies and the intelligence community.

Wilson Sonsini’s defense tech attorneys also collaborate across practice disciplines to effectively represent defense tech and dual-use clients in a broad range of national and international regulatory matters. We address clients’ ongoing need for guidance concerning U.S. and global enforcement and oversight agencies, for instance by providing clarity on new international trade laws, implementing anti-corruption compliance programs, advising on compliance with U.S., UK, and EU export control and sanctions regimes, and handling litigation and settlement discussions related to enforcement actions with government agencies. We also advise clients on the full range of transactions involving foreign investment into the U.S. Our attorneys’ collective experience ensures that any regulatory challenges will be met with expert-led, business-oriented solutions.

In addition, we work closely with a wide variety of sectoral regulators, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Years of collaboration and experience working alongside these government bodies has equipped our team with the tools needed to successfully negotiate terms of commercial agreements, find trusted partners to provide support for engagement with regulators, and assist clients in regulatory proceedings.

Our attorneys also advise defense tech clients on a variety of private-sector corporate transactions—including venture capital financings, incorporation, mergers and acquisitions, and initial public offerings—as well as commercial transactions driven by the use or acquisition of intellectual property, such as service agreements, strategic alliances and joint ventures, collaborations and co-development arrangements, asset sales, and licensing agreements.