Stephen Yslas, the former chief lawyer of global aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman Corp., is transitioning into private practice as a senior adviser at Spilman Thomas & Battle’s office in Pittsburgh.

Yslas spent more than three decades at Northrop Grumman before he stepped down in 2010, handing the reins of the legal department to his successor, Sheila Cheston. A spokeswoman for Spilman confirmed Yslas’ hiring earlier this week.