Marc Nichols was previously Chief Counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), appointed by former President Joe Biden and former US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in January 2022. In this role, Nichols served with distinction as the chief legal officer of the agency, providing comprehensive legal guidance across all operational facets of the FAA and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) on matters of importance to the national aviation and aerospace sector, including such issues as Powered Lift, drones, slots, enforcement actions, Safety Management Systems (SMS) and Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) regulatory concerns, the drafting of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, foreign repair station drug and alcohol testing, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, bilateral negotiations among the US and partner countries, ultimate management of all appeals for the FAA before the US Supreme Court and lower courts, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSBP), etc.
As Chief Counsel, Marc lead a team of more than 300 legal professionals located across 13 offices nationwide and oversaw an annual budget exceeding US$65 million. His responsibilities encompassed representing and advising the FAA's various lines of business and staff offices on a broad range of aviation and aerospace issues, including direct counsel to the FAA Administrator, the Deputy Administrator, and the Office of the General Counsel of the US Department of Transportation to ensure the safest and most efficient aerospace system in the world.
In addition, in his 25+ years of legal career, Marc has handled various matters covering airport regulations, internal investigations and compliance matters, aircraft financing and insurance, aircraft recovery, supply chain or other commercial contracting matters for airlines, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), seaports, helicopter accident investigations, intellectual property, and a myriad of other issues.
Marc also worked on Capitol Hill as an aide and speechwriter and as Inspector General of a federal agency. He is considered a thought leader in the aerospace legal community, often speaking in the media or giving speeches at or for major universities, distinguished industry organizations, and major industry companies. He has also written articles covering many of the topics in the technology, aerospace, and defense industries. Marc has also worked at various regional and international law firms.
Marc's prior roles include his position as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Saab, the Swedish conglomerate's North American operations, where he served as the Chief Legal Officer for the company in the US and Canada. Before his tenure at Saab, Marc was the Deputy Head of Defense Aerospace and Director of Compliance – Americas for Rolls-Royce, leading legal initiatives in helicopter aerospace, compliance, ethics, and government investigations.
Marc is a Fellow of the UK's Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS), a group comprised of distinguished global aeronautical leaders.
