Milton "Skip" Smith

An Air Force Academy graduate with a doctorate in Space Law, Milton “Skip” Smith, Chair of the Space and Satellite Industry Group, has more than 40 years of experience advising clients on risk management and other issues related to the aerospace industry. Skip handles complex transactional matters and disputes, nationally and internationally. His combination of skills and experience, coupled with an in-depth understanding of legal and regulatory systems, makes him a sought-after advisor in the aerospace industry. He serves a broad spectrum of clients, including large corporations, startups, manufacturers, and launch service providers. During his Air Force tenure, he held significant roles such as Director of Space Law at Space Command and Chief of Space Law for the Air Force.

Skip assists both national and international clients in navigating legal issues from the planning and operation of space assets to launch and on-orbit services, space insurance, and government contract and regulatory matters. He has negotiated and litigated disputes amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. He negotiates and drafts satellite design, manufacture, sale and launch agreements as well as on-orbit servicing agreements including: hosted payload, life extension, refueling and debris removal. He also supports deal teams in evaluation of contracts and other key documents.