Texas Space Boom Requires Lots of Lawyers in Boost for Firms

Senior Policy Advisors Kate Goodrich and Mike Warner were cited in a Bloomberg Law article on the growth in work for Texas law firms as the state's commercial space industry takes off. As private companies including SpaceX and Blue Origin look to license satellites, navigate regulatory compliance, negotiate contracts and resolve intellectual property disputes, they need more and sophisticated legal counsel – creating a boon for law firms such as Holland & Knight that have experience and know-how in this field. Texas in particular, long associated with U.S. space endeavors because of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, is also looking to attract space-related ventures through legislative and financial incentives; for example, in 2023 the state legislature passed House Bill 3447 to establish the Texas Space Commission and allocate $350 million for research and development projects. Ms. Goodrich noted these moves signal to the industry that the Lone Star State is open for business.

"Texas wants to be a long-term player in the space game," Ms. Goodrich said. "When Texas invests money like that, they want results."

Mr. Warner added that he predicts these efforts will pay off, creating opportunities for the firm and allowing for increased hiring to support its space law offerings.

READ: Texas Space Boom Requires Lots of Lawyers in Boost for Firms