Holland & Knight Opens Huntsville, Alabama, Office

Huntsville, Ala. (August 6, 2026) – Holland & Knight has officially opened its new office in Huntsville, Alabama, the Firm's second in the state. Founding members of the office include Ryan Letson, who serves as the office executive partner, and Associate Andrew Tuggle. The office is Holland & Knight's 36th worldwide.

"Alabama continues to be an important growth market for the Firm, and Ryan's depth of national security and defense experience, combined with his strong ties to the Huntsville business and legal communities, make him the ideal leader for our new office," said Holland & Knight Chair and Chief Executive Officer Bob Grammig. "Building on the Firm's longstanding focus on the sectors core to Huntsville's economy and the extensive resources and capabilities of our global platform, we are significantly increasing our capabilities to serve clients operating in, and expanding to, Huntsville."

"As a hub for sophisticated defense, aerospace and technology companies, Huntsville has become a key destination for our clients and an area of growing significance in the national security space," said National Security & Defense Industry Sector Group Chair Jason Klitenic. "Both Ryan and Andrew have extremely valuable experience in the national security and defense sectors and have quickly become integral members of our client teams."

Mr. Letson joined Holland & Knight earlier this year from the Huntsville office of a major regional law firm, where he served as chair of its intellectual property (IP) practice group. He represents defense, aerospace, technology, manufacturing and university clients across the full spectrum of IP law, including federal IP litigation, Patent Trial and Appeal Board and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings, technology transactions, licensing, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) due diligence. He began his professional career as a systems engineer at Boeing, where he worked on border security systems within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Secure Borders Initiative program.

Mr. Letson is a leader in the Huntsville business, technology and defense communities. He currently serves as chair of the Mayor's AI Task Force Law and Ethics Committee and is a member of the Huntsville Bar Association executive committee and Huntsville Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees, as well as a former member of the Huntsville Committee of 100 Board of Directors.

"It has been a unique opportunity to join a firm with the extensive resources and geographic reach required to serve the comprehensive needs of clients in Huntsville," Mr. Letson said. "I have already seen clients benefit from the capabilities of Holland & Knight's platform, from counsel on complex national security and defense matters and trade and tariff issues to lobbying efforts and corporate services. I appreciate the Firm's commitment to Alabama and look forward to contributing to the Firm's success across the state and filling our Huntsville office with the most talented and entrepreneurial lawyers in the city."

Mr. Tuggle, who joined Holland & Knight in April from an international law firm, focuses his practice on export controls, foreign investment and government contracting. His past experience includes working for a multinational hardware manufacturer, a small engineering design startup and in academic research funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA) and the Group of Eight (G8) Industrialized Nations.

Holland & Knight's two Alabama offices (Birmingham and Huntsville) are home to 20 attorneys who focus on financial services litigation and white collar criminal defense, national defense and security, bankruptcy disputes, litigation, loan workouts and restructuring, as well as healthcare operations, regulatory compliance, technology and transactional matters.

The Firm's Huntsville office is located downtown in the Big Spring Summit office tower at 100 Church Street SW, Suite 301.