Sheila C. Cheston

Sheila Carol Cheston (born November 5, 1958, in Washington, D.C.)^[1] is a United States lawyer who was General Counsel of the Air Force from March 1995 to October 1998.

Biography

Cheston was educated at Dartmouth College, receiving a B.A. in June 1980, and Columbia Law School, receiving a J.D. in May 1984.^[1][2]

From August 1984 through August 1985, she served as a law clerk for Judge W. A. Norris at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.^[1]

From April 1994 through September 1994, Cheston was Special Associate Counsel to President of the United States Bill Clinton.^[3] She was General Counsel of the Air Force from March 1995 to October 1998.^[3]

Upon leaving government service, Cheston became a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, where she chaired the firm's international aviation, defense, and aerospace group. In 2003, she became general counsel of BAE Systems, a position she held until 2009, when she became Executive Vice President.^[4] She moved to rival Northrop Grumman in June 2010, becoming Northrop Grumman's general counsel.^[3] She departed Northrop Grumman in 2023.