A Career in Aviation and Space Law

By Jill Meyers

One of my favorite things about the aviation industry is that there are so many careers for people to consider, in addition to the ones you read about most often. If you love airplanes but don’t want to be a pilot, flight attendant or aircraft mechanic, there are still dozens of jobs you can have and still be part of our amazing aviation community.

I once met a man who was the Arts Program Curator for the San Diego International Airport! His job entailed working with regional and national artists and arts organizations to curate the airport’s exhibitions and performing arts programs. Airports and aviation companies all over the world need accountants, graphic designers, marketing experts, and more. They also need lawyers…. lots of lawyers!

Aviation and Space Law is a truly fascinating and much-needed career field. Aviation lawyers provide commercial, regulatory and insurance advice and litigation services to the world’s airlines, manufacturers, and financiers. Key areas of work in this field include aircraft leasing and finance, competition and state aid, insolvency and restructuring, emissions trading rules and aviation disasters.

Space law covers decisions and activities for anything traveling beyond the earth’s atmosphere. This includes local, federal, and international laws regarding space travel, weapons, intellectual property law and environmental protection law. In an era where commercial firms like Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin are sending people and objects into space, regulations—as well as application of laws—can be in flux and complex. Not to mention the fact that, closer to earth, an increasing number of companies and nations are competing for airspace. And as no one country owns space, space law follows treaties agreed upon by the United Nations.

So how does one become an aviation and/or space lawyer? You will first want to pursue a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, considered to be a “first degree” in law. If you want to practice law in the United States, you will, in almost all cases, need a J.D. degree. After that, many consider getting an LLM (Master of Laws) degree in Air and Space Law. This graduate program will help students get up-to-speed regarding current laws in this space, as well as how the laws are being applied to new technologies and use cases. Many LLM programs in Air and Space Law leverage current thinking and research to inform their curriculums, ensuring that students have a cutting edge understanding of the field upon graduation. Classes in these programs include topics like Air Law, Public International Law, Space Law, and Aviation Law, as well as courses in related fields like Telecommunications Law and Security Law.

Many graduates of Air and Space Law programs find positions in law firms or consulting firms with an aviation and space law practice; legal departments of airports, airlines or aerospace companies; the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or international Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs); ministries of transportation; space organizations like NASA or the European Space Agency; or in academia. The options are diverse and all very exciting!

To learn more about this unique career field, I interviewed my friend, Dayan “Day” Hochman-Vigil. At an early age, Day became interested in language, political science, and the arts. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Law. After attending UNM, Day obtained her LLM in Aviation and Space Law from McGill University in Montréal, Canada. While studying at McGill, she was a consultant and project coordinator to the U.S. Delegation to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, advising ICAO on aviation safety and security laws. During this time, she also contributed to aviation and transportation law-related case notes for an internationally acclaimed international law journal, including producing legal opinions on various international aviation regulatory issues. Day has been an attorney since 2012 and started her own law firm, DHV Law LLC, in 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There are only a handful of aviation attorneys in New Mexico and Day is the only one certified to practice Aviation Law with a Masters in Law degree.

JILL: Where and how did your passion for aviation start?

DAY: I am a third-generation pilot. My love for airplanes started when my father used to take me plane-spotting at the Albuquerque International Sunport when I was a child. I also used to love flying with my father in his Beechcraft Bonanza when he would fly our family to various locations throughout the country.

JILL: How did you first learn about aviation law as a career option?

DAY: I graduated from the UNM School of Law in 2011the height of the great recession as it related to careers in law. My first law firm job was at a civil defense firm that was defending a re-insurer in a crash litigation case that contained various components of aviation law. During the litigation, I was charged with finding an expert to testify in the case. The expert retained was the Director of the Institute of Aviation and Space Law at McGill University at the time, who encouraged me to apply to the program as he was inspired by my background and interest in aviation law. The rest is history!

JILL: What was it like being in the LLM program at McGill?

DAY: The LLM program at McGill was amazing. I had opportunities to learn about every facet of Aviation and Space law, as well as to meet several key figures in the industry who had either graduated from the program themselves or had some other connection to the school. I was also able to work with the office of the U.S. Ambassador to ICAO during my time at McGill, assisting them with several research projects that had a direct effect on international civil aviation regulation.

JILL: What type of clients have you helped through having your own law firm?

DAY: I have had several different types of clients and cases during my time as an aviation attorney. I have helped pilots with licensing and regulatory issues; helped several different types of domestic, international, air taxi and charter operators with regulatory and litigation issues; worked with airports; and have helped low earth orbit and stratospheric airship manufacturers with several different legal matters.

JILL: Tell us a bit about your role as General Counsel for Sceye, Inc. What was it like supporting a company building an airship?

DAY: Every day at Sceye was different and brought new challenges and opportunities for growth. In addition to addressing the day-to-day issues as a corporate General Counsel, such as contractual negotiations, employment issues and intellectual property questions, I also assisted with building regulatory frameworks in partnership with the FAA, applicable to the newest generation of high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), as well as future management of Class E airspace. I also attended launches and helped with expansion of the company, in addition to identifying and applying for various funding sources. And these are just some of the many areas I supported while in my role as Sceye’s General Counsel.

JILL: What advice would you give to young students who might be interested in becoming an Aviation and Space lawyer?

DAY: Follow your dreams! Learn as much about aviation and the practice of law as you can before you make a commitment to pursue this line of work. If you are really serious about practicing aviation law exclusively, seek out attorneys like me that already work in the industry, and do what you can to develop a network of mentors and business contacts to help you break into this particular area of the law.

Jill Meyers, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, has been in the aviation/aerospace industry for over 40 years and is a recurring author for AviNation. She is a licensed private pilot, Air Force veteran, aerospace engineer and business leader, and was the recipient of the National Aeronautic Association’s 2022 Katharine Wright Trophy.