Brett Richards, special counsel in the Government Relations Practice Group, served on the "Federal Outlook" panel at the Mississippi Aerospace & Defense Symposium in Biloxi, Mississippi, on October 23. The annual event, co-hosted by the Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi and the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, is a platform for industry leaders, government officials, academic researchers, and economic developers to collaborate and highlight Mississippi’s assets in aerospace and defense. Brett discussed the on-going government shutdown, how the impasse is affecting federal appropriations, and ways industry stakeholders can continue to effectively engage with Washington, DC.