Boeing has announced the retirement of J. Michael Luttig, senior legal counsel to the Board of Directors. The former judge had in particular been responsible for handling the legal issues relating to the two 737 MAX crashes, but also intervened, among other things, in the cancellation of the Airbus contract for US Air Force in-flight refuellers.

A press release dated December 26, 2019, announces the retirement « planned for a long time » of J. Michael Luttig, and recalls that the 65-year-old man had been general counsel of Boeing from 2006 until last May when he was responsible for « managing the legal matters relating to the accidents of flight 610 of Lion Air and flight 302 of Ethiopian Airlines and advising the board of directors on strategic questions ». The judge then took a newly created post to assist CEO Dennis Muilenburg on legal issues surrounding the two crashes that killed 346 people in six months; he had been accused of being partly responsible for the multiple « communication errors » of the Boeing management and the refusal of its manager to take responsibility for the crisis (Muilenburg was finally resigned last Monday). Mr. Luttig was also heard during the interminable table tennis game at the WTO between Boeing and Airbus, in the (aborted) attempt to block the CSeries in 2017, and some attribute the cancellation in 2008 of the contract signed by the US Air Force for the air refueller proposed by Airbus (then EADS) and Northrop Grumman – the contract was awarded two years later to Boeing.

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« Luttig is one of the best lawyers in the nation and has expertly and relentlessly guided our business as a legal director, advisor, and senior advisor, » said Acting Boeing CEO Greg Smith. « We are deeply indebted to Judge Luttig for his extraordinary services to Boeing during these almost 14 years, especially during this difficult last year for our business. « The board of directors and I will always be grateful for the judge’s remarkable service to The Boeing Company – and personally, I will always be grateful for his friendship. »

Before joining Boeing, Mr. Luttig had spent 15 years at the Court of Appeal for the fourth circuit, after having been a deputy attorney general and an advisor to the United States Attorney General. Luttig had also worked in the White House from 1981 to 1982 under the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and from 1982 to 1985, he had been a lawyer with the late Judge Antonin Scalia (Court of Appeal of the United States for the circuit of the district from Columbia). New Boeing Legal Director Appointed With Immediate Effect is Brett C. Gerry







