Scotland's Space Sector Is Creating a New Frontier for Legal Talent

The numbers are hard to ignore. Scotland's space industry currently employs over 7,000 people, contributes £880 million to the economy, and the Scottish Government has set its sights on capturing a £4 billion share of a global market projected to reach £1.3 trillion by 2035. The ambition to grow space jobs to 20,000 by 2030 is not science fiction, it is government policy, backed by investment, infrastructure and genuine commercial momentum. 

For Scotland's legal community, this trajectory represents one of the most significant emerging talent markets of the decade. Over 180 space companies now operate in Scotland, supporting more than 8,500 jobs, and with £130 million in government investment since 2019, the legal infrastructure needed to support this sector is expanding rapidly.

Scotland's Unexpected Space Identity

Ask most people outside the legal or tech world to name Europe's leading small satellite manufacturer, and Scotland would not be the obvious answer. Yet Scotland builds more small satellites than anywhere else in Europe, with that capability underpinned by engineering expertise, university partnerships and a cluster of highly innovative companies concentrated around Glasgow and beyond.

Scotland has a fully licensed spaceport open in Shetland. Two further spaceports, SaxaVord and Sutherland, are working toward hosting the first vertical rocket launches from UK soil. When fully operational, these spaceports plan to support a combined 42 annual launches from Scotland. Rocket manufacturers like Skyrora and Orbex are building launch vehicles here. Earth observation companies and data analytics firms are operational. The downstream supply chain is growing and the space economy in Scotland is very much a reality.

Which Scottish Firms Are Leading in Space Law?

Several Scottish law firms have already built dedicated space practices.

Morton Fraser MacRoberts has over 30 years of experience advising on space and transport projects and was legal adviser to Orbex on the construction elements of its proposed Sutherland spaceport. The firm's space practice covers regulatory frameworks, environmental compliance, and the full commercial lifecycle of space projects.

Brodies established its Aviation and Space practice early and advised on one of the first potential space hub sites in Scotland, handling the complex land, procurement, planning and regulatory issues that spaceport development requires.

Shepherd and Wedderburn has built a recognised space and aviation practice. Senior Associate Ruairidh Leishman, quoted widely on space law developments, was instrumental in analysis of the Space Industry (Indemnities) Act 2025.

CMS UK's Edinburgh office has space specialists including Corporate Associate Corrin Miller, while former Weightmans partner Cassandra Auld advised on the lease for Scotland's first rocket engine test facility in Midlothian.

These firms are not waiting for the sector to mature, they are actively shaping the legal frameworks that govern it.

The Lawyers Already Working in this Space

Laura Edison provides the clearest example of a successful transition into space law. After working with Skyrora's shareholders on their wider technology projects, she became the rocket company's General Counsel in 2017, when the sector was still in its infancy. Her work with Skyrora earned her the In-House Lawyer of the Year award at the 2021 Scottish Legal Awards.

Edison now divides her time between Scotland and Florida's 'Space Coast', running Albalex, a transatlantic compliance, training and RegTech consultancy. Reflecting on her early entry into the sector, she notes: 

"Looking back at 2017, it was a great time to get involved because the sector was in its infancy, both commercially and legally. We had all the consultation ongoing with the Space Industry Act and the associated regulations. There was a lot of regulator education happening."

Toby Kelly-Simpson, an Irvine-based lawyer and member of the Space Generation Advisory Council, advises those interested in space law to "have an open mind" and emphasises that while space law "doesn't have all the answers to existing or potential problems," the best approach is to "give it a go."

These are the lawyers building practices and reputations in real time.

What's Happening Right Now?

The regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly. In February 2026, the Space Industry (Indemnities) Act 2025 became law, limiting operator liability and making insurance more commercially affordable. Shepherd and Wedderburn senior associate Ruairidh Leishman described its consequences as "significant for the entire sector."

Glasgow-based rocket manufacturer Skyrora obtained the first UK vertical space launch operator licence in 2025, a milestone that demonstrates the licensing regime under the Space Industry Act is now fully operational.

SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, the UK's first fully licensed vertical-launch spaceport, plans its first launch in 2026. The site received the first vertical launch licence in Western Europe in December 2023 and a range control licence in April 2024.

These are not merely future ambitions for the region, they are live mandates, active licences and operational legal frameworks.

Which Skills Actually Transfer Into Space Law?

Space law draws heavily on existing legal disciplines, making it accessible to lawyers who already work in related areas.

Telecommunications law provides the most direct entry point. The regulatory licensing frameworks are similar, and many space law matters involve satellite communications and frequency allocation. As the Chambers Associate guide notes, "space and satellite law often intersects with telecommunications law, which is much more available for those starting out."

Commercial contracts lawyers will recognise the structure of satellite procurement agreements, launch service contracts and capacity agreements. Planning and land lawyers are essential for spaceport development. Former Weightmans partner Cassandra Auld, who advised on Scotland's first rocket engine test facility lease in Midlothian, notes that "one of the challenges renewables projects had (still have) is that the landlords don't tend to be institutional investors or funds but private landowners. I suspect this might also be a challenge for the space industry."

IP lawyers with patent experience are increasingly valuable as the commercialisation of space technology accelerates. Environmental lawyers familiar with noise, pollution and regulatory impact assessments will find those skills directly applicable to spaceport licensing. Insurance lawyers can transition into space insurance, while construction lawyers are needed for the physical infrastructure.

The licensing and regulatory compliance skills developed in any heavily regulated sector, energy, aviation, pharmaceuticals, transfer directly to Space Industry Act work.

Why Now Matters

The parallel with Scotland's renewable energy sector fifteen years ago is instructive. In 2010, wind farm development was emerging from niche environmental law into full commercial operation. The lawyers who engaged early with offshore wind projects, grid connection agreements and subsidy frameworks built practices and reputations that proved remarkably durable.

Those same market dynamics are playing out in Scotland's space sector now. Research-led activity is transitioning to commercial operation. New regulatory frameworks are being tested. Infrastructure financing is accelerating. Cross-border partnerships are forming. The lawyers building space sector relationships in 2025 and 2026 will be the established specialists when the sector reaches its 20,000 jobs target in 2030.

The 2 to 10 PQE window is optimal for developing this specialism before it becomes saturated. Early movers will be established names when the sector reaches full commercial scale.

How to Position Yourself for Space Law Work

For lawyers interested in building space sector expertise:

If you're in private practice:

• Develop expertise in telecommunications, commercial contracts, planning, or environmental law — these are the entry points

• Follow the Space Industry Act licensing regime — understand how operators, spaceport licences and range control licences work

• Track the Space Generation Advisory Council and cross-party group on Space for policy developments

• Attend UK Space Agency events and Law Society of Scotland space law sessions

If you're considering in-house:

• Target companies in the upstream segment (rocket manufacturers, satellite builders) first — they're further ahead in building legal teams

• Downstream companies (data analytics, earth observation) are next wave but still building out compliance and commercial functions

• Understand the Space Industry Act, Outer Space Act 1986, and export control regulations that govern the sector

If you're a junior lawyer:

• Space law is not taught on most legal courses, so practical experience matters more than academic credentials

• Telecommunications work is the closest proxy — licensing, regulatory compliance, commercial contracts

• The 2 to 10 PQE window is optimal for developing this specialism before it becomes saturated

• Early movers will be established names when the sector reaches full commercial scale in 2030

Scotland's space sector is punching well above its weight and the legal market serving it is following suit. For in-house lawyers seeking a sector with genuine long-term trajectory, and for private practice solicitors looking to build a distinctive and future-facing specialism, space represents one of the clearest strategic opportunities currently available in the Scottish legal market.

JMC Legal recruits specialist lawyers across Scotland's most dynamic sectors. If you are a legal professional looking for your next role, or an organisation seeking to build legal capability in an emerging area, get in touch with our team or find out more about our Scottish Legal Recruitment here.