Birmingham-based law firm, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, is launching a Defense and National Security team led by a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Alabama.

The specialized team at will provide legal counsel to companies navigating the complexities of national security risks relating to cross-border investment, sanctions and export controls, cybersecurity and data protection, government contracting, and national security-related investigations and enforcement matters.

Attorneys on the team have experience in the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Defense (DOD), and other intelligence organizations, and several maintain active U.S. security clearances.

“We have been witnessing significant changes and opportunities at the intersection of commerce, national security, and foreign policy, which are impacting the global economy,” said Jack Harrington, leader of the investigation and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Birmingham. “It’s an exciting time to create a team that supports established and start-up companies in the defense, aerospace, and related technology industries.”

“We are seamlessly integrating our existing capabilities in key areas, including foreign investment, government contracting, regulatory and compliance, international sanctions, and cybersecurity, and providing tailored strategies to guide clients through this multifaceted regulatory environment.”

Harrington, who is a partner at the firm, also serves as chair of Bradley’s recently formed Financial Crimes & Economic Sanctions team.

“Our additional capabilities advising on Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States compliance and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as AI, will help us to add value and expand the suite of services that we are able to provide clients,” he said.

Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters also noted the vital importance of the team’s efforts.

“In addition to this team’s synergies with many of our practice groups, Bradley’s geographic footprint positions the team to provide industry-leading counsel localized in defense-industrial ecosystems and centers of military innovation that allow us to support defense contractors, defense technology companies, and others in their supply chains.”

The Defense & National Security team complements several of Bradley’s key practices, including the Cybersecurity & Privacy Practice Group, helping clients safeguard critical data and infrastructure while ensuring compliance at the federal and state levels; the Government Contracts Practice Group, providing focused counsel for companies selling to the DOD, the intelligence community, or other federal agencies involved in national security; and the Government Enforcement & Investigations Practice Group, representing clients in criminal or regulatory investigations implicating national security.

Attorneys on the team also work closely with Bradley’s Financial Crime & Economic Sanctions team to advise banks and financial services firms on anti-money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act, and sanctions compliance.