Space Law: The Work Behind an Emerging Practice

Space Law: The Work Behind an Emerging Practice

From I Am The Law by LawHub powered by LSAC

April 8, 2026 · 25 min · Episode 149

About this episode

Michelle Hanlon discusses her transition to space law and the complexities of this emerging field.

Michelle Hanlon spent 25 years as a cross-border M&A lawyer before earning an LLM in space law and reinventing her practice around an environment that nobody quite controls but many want to. Space law is barely developed, but much of the daily work looks like any other industry: contracts, regulatory compliance, and drafting provisions that account for risks nobody else is thinking about yet. Michelle holds a permanent observer seat at the UN committee where international space law is written, and in this episode she breaks down the craft of persuading legislators and diplomats, why industries often write the standards Congress later codifies, and how deep subject-matter fluency reshapes even conventional legal work. Michelle Hanlon is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee. Mentioned in this episode: Access LawHub today! Learn more about Blueprint Learn more about Seton Hall Learn more about Boston University School of Law Learn more about Haynes Boone LLP

People in this episode

Host: Kyle McEntee

Guest: Michelle Hanlon

Topics covered

  • space law
  • legal practice
  • international law
  • regulatory compliance
  • M&A law
  • legislative process

Keywords

  • space law
  • M&A lawyer
  • contracts
  • regulatory compliance
  • international space law
  • legislators
  • diplomats

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Georgetown University Law Center, UN committee, Haynes Boone LLP

Products: Juno, private student loans

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