Personnel note: Eric Olson joins Holland & Knight as senior adviser – Florida Politics

Personnel note: Eric Olson joins Holland & Knight as senior adviser  Florida Politics

'Admiral Olson is one of the most respected leaders in the national security community.' Retired U.S. Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, the former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, has joined Holland & Knight as a senior adviser to the firm’s National Security & Defense Industry Group. Olson, who retired from the Navy in 2011 after more than 38 years of service, led U.S. Special Operations Command from 2007 to 2011. He was the first Navy SEAL officer to achieve both three-star and four-star rank and the first to command USSOCOM. “Admiral Olson is one of the most respected leaders in the national security community,” Holland & Knight Chair and CEO Bob Grammig said.

“His extraordinary operational experience, strategic judgment and deep understanding of the global defense environment will undoubtedly give our clients a competitive edge as priorities and policies continue to shift in Washington, D.C.” In the new role, Olson will work with Holland & Knight attorneys and other professionals advising clients in the national security and defense sectors. His work will include providing strategic guidance on U.S. national security issues, identifying business opportunities and advising clients on developments affecting the defense marketplace. “We are in a period of significant change for governments and businesses around the world, bringing both challenges and opportunities for the private sector,” Olson said.