US private security services contractor Constellis has hired Olivia Fines as its chief legal officer, replacing Melissa Taylormoore who joined White & Case last June.

Fines joins from defence technology company Parsons Corporation, where she was deputy general counsel. At Constellis, Fines will oversee all of its legal matters, as well as serving as chief compliance officer and corporate secretary.

Constellis provides security services such as executive protection, as well as disaster response services, K9 services such as explosive and drug detection dogs, and explosive threat mitigation. It was formed in 2014 following the merger of Academi – previously known as Blackwater, a US private military contractor – and Triple Canopy.

Terry Ryan, Constellis CEO, said Fines’ “extensive experience in federal procurement processes, technology deployment, risk management, global workforce management, corporate governance, and overall legal compliance, makes her uniquely qualified for the role”.

He added: “Olivia is an exceptional talent and a welcomed addition to our existing team. She brings with her the knowledge and subject matter expertise that will help Constellis achieve its strategic growth objectives.”

Fines spent just under five years at Parsons, having previously spent six years as GC and director of contracts at HR services firm Golden Kay Group. Prior to that she spent a year as GC at legacy IT services company PRO-telligent and almost three years as an associate at Cornerstone Venture Law. She also had spells as an attorney at Kunkler Consulting and as a law clerk at Bean Kinney & Korman.

Constellis has been without a permanent CLO for more than six months since Taylormoore’s departure to White & Case, which she joined in Washington DC as a partner. Taylormoore had been with Constellis for almost eight years, a year and a half of them as CLO and close to five of them as deputy CLO. She initially joined as vice president for litigation and employment from McGuire Woods, where she was a partner in its labour and employment group.

When she was promoted to CLO in 2022, Ryan said the company could not ask for a more dedicated and experienced person to lead its legal and compliance team.