Defence and Aerospace.
Cleared for
complexity.
Univa Legal’s Defence and Aerospace practice is built on one principle: commercially-focused counsel that protects your position without slowing delivery.
We act across defence procurement and prime contracting, subcontractor and supply chain arrangements, export controls and Defence Trade Controls Act compliance, ITAR and AUKUS-related matters, security clearances and facility accreditation, intellectual property and technology transfer, and complex multi-party programme agreements.
What we do, in practice.
A full-spectrum offering, structured around the decisions that actually move a programme forward, from tender and due diligence through to delivery.
- Defence contracting and procurement.
- Prime contractor and subcontractor agreements.
- Australian Industry Capability requirements.
- Export control compliance.
- DISP registration and compliance.
- Intellectual property protection.
- Technology transfer agreements.
- Defence IP ownership and licensing.
- Sensitive technology protection strategies.
- Classified information handling frameworks.
- Defence project financing arrangements.
Defence and aerospace law for businesses built to last.
Univa Legal and defence and aerospace.
“The legal landscape for defence and aerospace in NSW (and Australia) has never been more complex, or more consequential. Recent developments in sovereign capability requirements, the Technology Safeguards Agreement with the United States, AUKUS implementation obligations, and heightened security protocols for dual-use technologies have fundamentally reshaped what it means to operate in this sector. The way your defence or aerospace business is structured, contracted, and governed creates strategic advantages that your competitors may not have, and legal clarity, compliance, and precision aren’t optional in this environment.
At Univa Legal, we advise defence contractors, aerospace manufacturers, technology developers, and sovereign capability businesses on the full spectrum of legal requirements unique to this sector. From defence contracting and procurement through to IP protection, technology transfer agreements, export control compliance, security clearance structuring, and joint venture arrangements, we bring the technical knowledge, regulatory depth, and commercial focus that defence and aerospace businesses demand.”
Joelon Fincher, Managing Partner Admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia
Follow him on LinkedIn here.
Why choose us, for defence and aerospace.
At Univa Legal, our integrated approach means we handle the corporate structuring, IP protection, technology transfer, and compliance implications of your defence or aerospace venture simultaneously, no gaps, no referrals, no delays.
IP protection built for the defence environment.
Autonomous systems, aerospace design, satellite technology, cybersecurity solutions, we safeguard your most sensitive innovations whilst balancing the collaboration requirements that defence programs demand. Background and foreground IP arrangements, technology licensing frameworks, and sovereign capability considerations, properly structured from the outset.
Technology transfer and export controls.
ITAR, EAR, Technology Safeguards Agreement compliance, and Defence and Strategic Goods List requirements, we bring specialist expertise across the full spectrum of export control and technology transfer obligations. Protecting your IP whilst enabling collaboration with international partners on space missions and defence programs is a balance we navigate every day.
Export control and trade compliance.
Dual-use technology regulations, foreign investment approvals, FIRB considerations, and Defence and Strategic Goods List requirements, we cut through the regulatory complexity and ensure your aerospace or defence business operates within all regulatory boundaries without losing commercial momentum.
Defence contracting and procurement.
Government tenders, prime contractor relationships, subcontracting arrangements, DISP compliance, ASDEFCON frameworks, and Australian Industry Capability requirements, we provide comprehensive legal support across the full defence procurement lifecycle. Because winning the contract is only the beginning.
Security clearance structuring.
Corporate structures that facilitate security clearances for key personnel, address foreign ownership restrictions, and satisfy AGSVA requirements for classified defence work, designed and implemented by a team that understands both the regulatory framework and the commercial reality of operating in the defence sector.
A selection of recent work.
European Defence Manufacturer and FIRB Approval
A European defence manufacturer identified Australia’s accelerating defence investment pipeline. Entering the Australian defence sector required navigating a uniquely complex regulatory environment simultaneously: FIRB approval, DISP registration, foreign ownership restrictions, national security obligations, and the commercial requirements of establishing a locally compliant entity capable of holding security clearances and competing for government procurement.
This required the full market entry process, structuring the Australian subsidiary to satisfy FIRB, preparing and lodging the FIRB application and advised our client every step of the way.
Integrated sector expertise, no gaps, no referrals.
Our defence and aerospace practice integrates seamlessly with our corporate, IP, and regulatory compliance capabilities, whether you’re tendering for government contracts, partnering with international primes, or scaling sovereign capability. Every legal element coordinated in-house, by a team that understands the sector from every angle.
Ready to talk through your matter.
Call Univa Legal now, or send a short email and we’ll aim to come back to you within the same day.