Dentons today named James H. Williams, previously the Manager of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Integration Office, as a Principal in the Firm’s Public Policy and Regulation Practice. In this role, Williams will advise clients on aviation technology, regulatory, and compliance issues with particular emphasis on the military, consumer, and commercial use of unmanned aircraft. He will be resident in the Firm’s Tysons Office in McLean, Virginia.
Williams joins Dentons following more than 25 years of distinguished service with the FAA where he held a Top Secret security clearance. In 2012, he was selected to serve as manager of the FAA’s newly-created Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, the single agency focal point for all UAS-related activities, to develop and coordinate solutions to the challenges presented by drones across the FAA and external organizations. In this capacity Williams was instrumental in improving inter-agency cooperation to expand unmanned military and commercial aircraft access to US airspace and served as the agency’s spokesperson on all UAS-related issues. This includes briefing congressional members and their staff on the FAA’s activities related to unmanned aircraft as well as preparing the FAA Administrator for congressional hearings and testifying before the House Aviation Subcommittee Congressional Roundtable and the House Science Committee.
“The use of unmanned aircraft for commercial, military and consumer purposes has created a multitude of public policy and regulatory challenges, and is an uncharted area of both concern and opportunity for many of our clients,” said Dentons’ US Managing Partner Mike McNamara. “We are delighted to welcome Jim to our growing Tysons office and look forward to his leadership as we expand our exceptional capabilities in aviation and aerospace.”
During his distinguished career at the FAA, Williams led the agency’s lifecycle management of all FAA communications systems, oversaw the implementation of the Safety Management System, and managed the team that developed, procured, and installed air/ground communications services. He began his career at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, working in the Mission Control Center, where he was responsible for real-time problem solving related to Space Shuttle systems. In 1981, he participated in the first-ever Space Shuttle mission – STS-1, an orbital space flight.
“Federal, state and local policy surrounding unmanned aircraft is still in its infancy and represents one of the most significant changes in aviation since the development of the jet engine,” said Ambassador Gordon D. Giffin, Chair of Dentons’ US Public Policy and Regulation practice. “Jim’s unique perspective and insight in this emerging area will be critical to clients across the Firm as regulation of this powerful technology takes shape in the years to come.”
Williams is a prolific speaker on topics related to unmanned aircraft systems and aviation technology, having presented at conferences around the world. He earned his BA in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and participated in a cooperative education program with NASA as an undergraduate.
Williams addition aligns with the Firm’s recent expansion of capabilities in the US to serve global aviation and aerospace clients. Dentons’ highly-regarded aviation and transportation practice advises clients in litigation, regulatory, administrative and enforcement matters, security, employee-related issues, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations, as well as emergency preparedness and response under the leadership of Partner Mark A. Dombroff. The Firm also has expanded its global Aviation Finance practice and created a Space Business Sector team with the addition of New York Partners Elizabeth Roberts and Deepak Reddy, as well as Washington, DC Senior Space Business Counsel Del Smith. Prominent international trade and national security Partners Giovanna Cinelli and Kenneth Nunnenkamp also joined the Firm.
Editor’s note: On August 20, Dentons will host An Open Forum with Jim Williams, a webinar. Media are invited to attend. Please contact Lisa Sachdev for more details.
Source: www.dentons.com
