Doug is the managing partner of Cunningham Swaim’s office in Pasadena, California. After obtaining his aerospace engineering degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he flew AH-1W attack helicopters in the U.S. Marine Corps, with collateral duties as quality assurance officer, post-maintenance functional check pilot, and Naval Postgraduate School-trained aviation safety officer and accident investigator. Doug retired from the Marine Corps Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2008.

A graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Doug has focused his 30 years of practice nearly exclusively on the aviation and space industries, with an emphasis on accident litigation and risk management. He has represented a major component manufacturer in years-long litigation arising from two airline disasters, helicopter manufacturers in several accident cases, and countless airports, FAA-licensed repair and overhaul facilities, and operators of airplanes and helicopters. While an associate within the aviation practice group of a large global law firm, Doug worked on various Department of Transportation proceedings including a dispute between an airline consortium and the government owner of a large international airport over costly noise abatement procedures. He has handled numerous jury and bench trials to a verdict.

Doug taught Aviation Law at Loyola Law School and Aviation Insurance & Risk Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and has lectured extensively to various industry groups on the topic of aviation legal risk management. He served for many years on the board of directors of the nation’s largest volunteer pilot organization, Angel Flight West, culminating in two years as board chair. Doug has also advised and served as general counsel to several start-up commercial spaceflight companies.