TAMPA, Fla. (September 21, 2026) – Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that retired U.S. Navy Admiral Eric T. Olson, former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), has joined the Firm as senior advisor to its National Security & Defense Industry Group.
Admiral Olson retired from the U.S. Navy in 2011 following more than 38 years of military service. From 2007 to 2011, he served as commander of USSOCOM, where he was responsible for the readiness and deployment of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations forces. He was the first Navy SEAL officer to achieve three-star and four-star rank and to command USSOCOM.
"Admiral Olson is one of the most respected leaders in the national security community," said Bob Grammig, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Holland & Knight. "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. We are honored to welcome him to Holland & Knight."
As senior advisor, Admiral Olson will work with Holland & Knight lawyers and professionals to support clients across the national security and defense sectors. He will provide strategic insight on U.S. national security matters, help identify emerging business opportunities and advise clients on trends, challenges and developments affecting the defense and national security 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," Admiral Olson said. "Since retiring from the military, I have advised a variety of organizations on strategic initiatives, and I take considerable pride in contributing to their success. I look forward to working alongside Holland & Knight's distinguished lawyers and advisors, many of whom have served in the military and government, to help clients better understand evolving national security priorities, identify emerging opportunities in the defense sector and navigate strategic challenges facing organizations that support government missions."
Since military retirement, Admiral Olson has supported a range of private and public sector organizations, include serving as an adjunct professor in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University; director of Iridium Communications Inc., Palladyne AI Corp. and Under Armour Inc.; senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and director of nonprofits Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Spirit of America and the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. Admiral Olson's military decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star and Bronze Star Medal with Valor.
Admiral Olson joins an international group of senior advisors supporting Holland & Knight's National Security & Defense Industry Group, including retired German four-star Admiral Joachim Rühle, former chief of staff at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), and retired German Colonel Dieter Korten. The group's senior advisors bring experience across U.S. and European defense, NATO, government affairs and international relations.
From large prime defense contractors and systems integrators to financial investors and companies developing dual-use technologies, Holland & Knight's National Security & Defense Industry Group assists clients across the defense ecosystem. The group includes more than 100 practitioners with experience in areas critical to the defense industry, including contracting with U.S. intelligence and defense agencies; international trade and cross-border regulatory compliance; transactions and investments involving government contractors and private equity and other sources of capital; counterespionage; and defense authorization and appropriations.