Our goal is to build the community of defense tech legal professionals. The newsletter aims to further your professional development and raise awareness of good content and opportunities.

This newsletter should be useful. Please provide feedback so we can make it better.

Subscribe to the newsletter here. (Google Forms)

News

• Pentagon Overhaul Accelerates; Pete Modigliani and Matt MacGregor, Substack, Non-legal oriented defense headlines with a focus on acquisition and reform.

• Reminders for a Potential Government Shutdown this Weekend, Crowell & Moring LLP. Partial lapse in appropriations “government shutdown” includes DoW. The article provides helpful reminders for contractors to navigate the shutdown which is not anticipated to last long. 

• Akin Space Law, Regulation and Policy Update, Akin Gump. Comprehensive space policy updates with space events, RFIs, RFPs. Going to an every other Monday publication.

• Anduril announces its AI Grand Prix (X post) fully autonomous drone racing competition inviting the boldest engineers from around the globe to compete for $500,000 and a job at Anduril. Identical Neros drones are used to level the playing field while the teams compete in races run by the Drone Champions League to find which team has the best autonomy stack. Link to AI Grand Prix. 

• Tranche 2 of the DFARS class deviations to the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul released, January 21, 2026. Per Linkedin post, George Winborne, DoW Intellectual Property Cadre, highlighted that tranche 2 includes a revised DFARS part 227 which covers Data rights and IP. Link to deviation, lined out version.

• SpaceX files plans for million-satellite orbital data center constellation, Jan. 31, 2026, Space News, Jeff Foust. Link to FCC filing.

Social Media and Podcasts

• LinkedIn post accounting Bessemer Venture Partners Defense Tech Roadmap. Roadmap details five critical frontiers for defense technology in 2026. Link to Roadmap.

• FY26 Defense Approps Bill Within Sight, This post breakdowns the FY26 Defense Appropriations Act, $839 billion with a $8 billion increase over last year. Link to FY26 Appropriations Act, conference summary, and Joint Explanatory Statement.

• 100,000 AI Agents Joined Their Own Social Network Today. It’s Called Moltbook, The AI Daily Brief Podcast. This long form episode discusses generalized agents like Molt bot and Clawd bot agents taking the industry by storm.  

• CMMC FAQ Update: Timeline, Subcontractor Flowdowns, Enclaves, Cloud Rules, and VDI Scope Explained, CMMC Compliance Guide Podcast.

• Buy American Pt. 5: BAA for Commercial Products, Claims & Sustains, Amy Hoang and Sarah Barney, Seyfarth Shaw. Youtube video series.

• SpaceX’s Starlink announces on an X post Stargaze, a Space Situational Awareness System, available to all space operators free. 

• The Pentagon’s AI-First Mandate: 5 Strategic Insights Reshaping Defense Procurement in 2026, Matthew Thrasher, Razi Hashmi, David Panzer, Fluet.

• LinkedIn post promotes applications for the next cohort of  American Tech Fellowship for Veterans. (Non-legal, tech oriented).

• Visualization of the Bill of materials for an FPV Drone, technology and manufacturer origin, on Substack.

Open Defense Tech Legal Jobs

* Indicates new additions since last newsletter.

• Corporate Counsel, Ursa Major, Berthoud, CO (Space, hypersonics)*
• Senior Corporate Counsel, Rocket Lab Corporation, Long Beach, CA (Space)*
• Legal and Compliance Analyst, SpaceX, Starbase, TX (Space)*
• Legal Operations Associate, Forterra, Clarksburg, MD (Ground Autonomy)*
• Legal Counsel, Blue Origin, Greater Seattle Area, Space Coast, FL, Huntsville, AL (Space)
• Counsel – Supply Chain, Forterra, Arlington, VA (Ground Autonomy)
• Senior Legal Counsel, DEEP, Miami, FL (Deep sea exploration)
• Senior Corporate Counsel – Aerospace & Defense, Microchip, Inc., Chandler, AZ (Semiconductors)
• Compliance Counsel, Saronic, Austin, TX, San Diego, CA, Washington, D.C. Multiple legal positions across legal ops/paralegal/etc. (Maritime Autonomy)
• Associate General Counsel, MP Materials, Las Vegas, NV (Rare earths)
• Legal and Compliance Analyst, Global Trade Compliance, Washington, D.C. and Hawthorne, CA, SpaceX (Space)
• Legal Counsel, Government Contracts, Hadrian, Washington, D.C. (Advanced manufacturing)
• Legal counsel, Air Dominance and Strike, Anduril Industries, Washington, D.C. (Aerial Unmanned Systems)
• M&A Corporate Counsel, Anduril Industries, Costas Mesa, CA (Unmanned systems and AI)
• Satellite Policy Associate (Starlink Regulatory Affairs), SpaceX, Washington, D.C. (Space)
• Product Counsel, Nominal, Washington, D.C. (Engineering and testing platform)
• Sr. Corporate Counsel, SpaceX, Hawthorne, CA (Space)
• Legal Counsel – Contracts, Palantir Technologies, Washington, D.C. (Software/AI)
• Senior Legal Counsel, Supply Chain, Commercial Contracts, Metrea, Temecula, CA, US (Effects as a service, Aerospace)
• Assistant General Counsel, K2 Space, Los Angeles, CA (Space)
• Senior Counsel, Government Business, Beehive Industries, Knoxville, TN (also roles in Loveland, OH and Englewood, CO) (Advanced manufacturing)
• Paralegal, Beehive Industries, Loveland, OH (Advanced manufacturing)
• Commercial Counsel, Government Contracts, xAi, Washington, D.C. (AI)
• Senior Director and AGC, Product Legal (Privacy, IP, Employment), Scale AI, San Francisco, CA (AI)
• Lead Counsel, Product and Employment, Scale AI, San Francisco, CA (AI)

Professional Development and CLE of Interest

Legal and non-legal professional development. Some events have a registration fee. The list will be updated with new events.

Government Contracts & Acquisition

• You’re Hired! Restrictions on Hiring Former Government Employees for Government Contractors, Feb. 3, 2026, Webinar. PilieroMazza.

• OTA Subcontracting: Opportunities and Risks, February 4, 2026, 12-1 pm ET, Webinar, Hayes Boone (Meeting ID: 308 464 4548; Passcode: 384946; Call In: +1 309 205 3325)*

• Navigating the New Era of U.S. Government Contracting: Strategies for Commercial Companies and ”Non-Traditional” Contractors,” Feb. 3, 2026, Webinar. Freshfields.

• PubK Law Annual Review, Feb. 10-11, Washington, D.C.

• Government Contracts in M&A: Navigating Compliance and Risk – Events, March 10, 2026, Webinar. Morgan Lewis. Includes overview on M&A compliance obligations, national security considerations, False Claims Act risks, and restrictions on assignment or change of control.

• ABA 2026 Federal Procurement Institute, March 11-13, 2026, Annapolis, MD. ABA Public Contract Law Section’s flagship event with CLE sessions on federal procurement trends relevant to defense tech.

• NCMA Warfighter Acquisition Forum, April 23, 2026, Washington, D.C. One-day forum for defense acquisition pros; discussions on strategies and policies.

• Hilton Head Government Contracts Week, July 27-31, 2026, Hilton Head, SC. FPS conference with masters-level sessions on govcon law; CLE available.

M&A, CFIUS, FOCI, & Trade Regulation

• M&A Academy: CFIUS & Trade Regulation Considerations in M&A Transactions, February 24, Webinar, Morgan Lewis. Presentation on CFIUS due diligence, risk assessment, national security issues, and trade regs in M&A—tailored for defense/govcon deals; part of ongoing academy series with CLE potential.

• 12th National Conference on CFIUS, April 22-23, Washington, D.C. ACI conference with discussions on CFIUS including filing requirements, risk mitigation strategies, and new regulations.

• 9th National Forum on FOCI, September 29–30, Washington, D.C. ACI. Focuses on Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence mitigation (parallel to CFIUS in cleared defense contractors); compliance strategies for national security reviews in defense M&A.

• Advanced Venture Capital 2026 | October 27, 2026 | In-Person Program – PLI, October 27, 2026, San Francisco, CA. PLI.

Export Controls

• Global Export Controls Advanced Forum, February 24-25, 2026, Arlington, VA. American Conference Institute (ACI) conference on multi-jurisdictional export compliance, including deemed exports and sanctions. Offers CLE credits and networking for defense attorneys.

• Live Export Compliance Seminar, June 15-18, Chicago, IL. Enforcement-focused ITAR/EAR.

Intellectual Property (IP)

• 2026 IP Transactions Bootcamp, Feb. 12, 2026, Seattle, WA. AIPLA.

• 2026 AIPLA Spring Meeting, May 13-15, Fairmont San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. 2.5-day conference on trending IP topics, expert insights, networking; focuses on innovation/tech IP relevant to defense sectors.

Space

• 2026 Space Beach Law Lab , February 24-26, 2026, Long Beach, CA*

• 2026 SmallSat Symposium, Silicon Valley, CA, February 10-12, 2026. Industry focused.*

• Defense and Intelligence Space Conference, National Security Space Association, February 9-11, 2026, Hyatt Regency Reston, Reston VA and NGA, Springfield VA.*

Industry & Entrepreneurship

• Milvetstartups, Feb. 12-13, 2026, San Francisco, CA. Largest conference of military entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.

• Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit & Expo, Sep. 22-24, 2026, National Harbor, Maryland.

Pro Bono and Volunteer Opportunities

Coming soon.

Contact Defense Tech Legal Network.

Defense Tech Legal Network Est. January 2026

Copyright – Defense Tech Legal Network 2026 – All Rights Reserved