Northrop Grumman's Former General Counsel Joins Spilman Thomas & Battle
Stephen Yslas, who spent more than three decades in Northrop's legal department, where he oversaw federal regulatory matters and steered the company through several large mergers, will serve as a Pittsburgh-based senior adviser at Spilman.
April 05, 2019 at 01:29 PM
3 minute read
Stephen Yslas, senior adviser with Spilman Thomas & Battle's Pittsburgh office.
Stephen Yslas, the former chief lawyer of global aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman Corp., is transitioning into private practice as a senior adviser at Spilman Thomas & Battle's office in Pittsburgh.
Yslas spent more than three decades at Northrop Grumman before he stepped down in 2010, handing the reins of the legal department to his successor, Sheila Cheston. A spokeswoman for Spilman confirmed Yslas' hiring earlier this week.
Ron Schuler, member in charge of the law firm's Pittsburgh office, trumpeted Yslas' “breadth and depth of experience in federal regulatory issues.” He added in a prepared statement that Yslas, “through his work with the Southern California technology start-up community, also understands the needs and challenges of emerging technology companies.”
Yslas joined Northrop Grumman in 1975 and served as chief counsel to the company's aircraft and electronics business. In 2006, he was appointed corporate vice president, secretary and deputy general counsel. He stepped up to the GC role in 2009, following the retirement of his predecessor, W. Burks Terry.
As Northrop's top lawyer, Yslas reported to company chairman and CEO Ronald Sugar and was responsible for international transactions, mergers and acquisitions, export control, antitrust, government contracts and other federal regulatory matters. During his time at Northrop, he oversaw several major acquisitions, including a $7.8 billion merger with TRW Inc. and a $3.8 billion merger with Litton Industries Inc.
A California native and graduate of the UCLA School of Law, Yslas served for 10 years as a Los Angeles police commissioner earlier in his career. He's a member of the board of directors of the UCLA Technology Development Corp. and is actively involved with the Hispanic National Bar Association and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Shortly before landing Yslas, Spilman hired Annmarie Kaiser as counsel in the firm's office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She is a former commissioner of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and served as Secretary of Legislative Affairs under former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who joined Spilman's Pittsburgh office as counsel last year.
Read More:
Pittsburgh Market Stays Hot for Out-of-Town Firms
Northrop Grumman Swipes New GC Away From Its Rival
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