Former FAA Attorney Courtney Freeman Brings Aviation Technology Expertise to Adams & Reese

Courtney W. Freeman has joined Adams & Reese as Counsel and as a member of its Chambers-ranked Aviation & Aerospace Team after serving for more than a decade in the Regulations Division of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of the Chief Counsel. Freeman served as the lead attorney for several groundbreaking projects during her tenure at the FAA, focusing particularly on emerging aviation technologies including Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations, and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) including powered lift aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.

Freeman's work at the FAA involved developing the legal architecture for these emerging technologies, including implementation of the recent Executive Order Unleashing American Drone Dominance. Her experience provides Adams & Reese clients with unique insights into federal policy-making and rule-making processes, particularly regarding waivers, exemptions, compliance, and enforcement challenges. Marc Warren, Co-Leader of the Adams & Reese Aviation & Aerospace Team and former FAA acting chief counsel, noted that Freeman has been instrumental in developing regulatory frameworks for the FAA's most forward-looking programs.

The significance of Freeman's move lies in her deep understanding of the regulatory challenges facing emerging air transportation systems. Her expertise extends beyond emerging technologies to traditional air carrier and general aviation operations, hazardous materials carriage requirements, pandemic response protocols, environmental compliance, privacy matters, and Paperwork Reduction Act compliance. Freeman frequently handled issues of agency first impression during her FAA tenure, personally dispositioning the team's most complicated legal matters.

Within Adams & Reese's Intersection of Business & Government Practice Group, Freeman joins an experienced Aviation & Aerospace Team that includes Warren; Aviation & Aerospace Team Co-Leader and Partner Paul Alp, former senior counsel at The Boeing Company; and attorney Tyler Conklin, former in-house counsel at Atlas Air, Inc. Alp emphasized that Freeman's experience and connections will be invaluable to clients as the firm builds its international aviation and aerospace practice for mission-critical matters. Freeman's transition from government to private practice represents a significant development for companies operating in the rapidly evolving aviation technology sector, particularly those navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding drone operations and advanced air mobility systems.