Richard Branson’s Spaceflight Company Hires New Top Lawyer

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc., a commercial spaceflight company backed by billionaire Richard Branson, has hired Michelle Kley as its new general counsel.

The top legal role is a new one for Virgin Galactic, which in July became the world’s first publicly traded space tourism venture when it merged with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. (SCH), a New York-based special purpose acquisition company. Virgin Galactic announced Kley’s hire Dec. 17.

The union, which saw Virgin Galactic LLC tap Latham & Watkins and SCH turn to Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom for outside counsel, created a public parent company in Virgin ...