General Counsel

Court: Disclosing to the Government Waives Privilege

May 22, 2012

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently joined several other courts in striking down the idea of "selective waiver," when it ruled that a company or individual couldn't voluntarily disclose information to the government and retain attorney-client privilege on it. "You should just assume that a document that goes to the government will no longer be privileged," Michael Doluisio, a partner with law firm Dechert, says.
 

Survey: Power Shifting From Law Firms to Internal Legal Departments

March 30, 2012

A shift in influence is going on from outside law firms to in-house legal departments, according to a recent survey of in-house counsel by the Association of Corporate Counsel. Companies are turning less frequently to outside counsel to handle legal matters. The survey also finds that budgets for internal legal departments climbed 18 percent last year.
 

Budget Cuts Force Legal Departments to Do More With Less

November 08, 2011

Corporate legal departments are still trimming costs due to the difficult economy, according to a survey by the Association of Corporate Counsels. As a result, legal departments are asking attorneys to work longer hours, reducing the use of outside counsel, and freezing hiring. "What that means is all of my lawyers are working a lot harder," says Teigue Thomas, general counsel at IT company Acer America. More inside.
 

General Counsels Under Siege

November 01, 2011

In-house counsels are increasingly alarmed by the Justice Department's willingness to target them in cases of corporate misconduct, highlighted by a recent criminal case filed against the associate general counsel of GlaxoSmithKline. "When they start focusing on the general counsel, it distorts the entire defense of the case from the corporation's standpoint," says John Villa, a partner in law firm Williams & Connolly.
 

Board Checklist: What Every Director Should Know

November 01, 2011

An increase in regulatory enforcement actions and attention to corporate governance issues is driving closer interaction between general counsels and board members. Recently, a panel of GCs discussed some practical ways to keep directors informed and offered a checklist of questions every board member should consider. More details inside.
 

The Importance of Splitting Legal and Compliance

October 18, 2011

Compliance officers increasingly say—as do the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and the corporate integrity agreements federal regulators sign with corporations—that the jobs of general counsel and chief compliance officer should be split. "If you're in a larger organization, and you're in a highly regulated industry, those roles are clearly separate and distinct," says Richard Crist, chief ethics and compliance officer at Allstate. Why? And how can you make that split happen? Full coverage inside.
 

E.W. Scripps Company Names Chief Ethics Officer

December 01, 2010

The E.W. Scripps Company, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based news and information enterprise, has announced the appointment of a new corporate secretary and chief ethics officer, following a shift in roles of two current employees. Effective immediately, Julie McGehee, currently vice president of compensation and benefits, takes on the additional role of...
 

Sara Lee GC Leaves for United Continental Holdings

November 23, 2010

United Continental Holdings, the holding company for both United Airlines and Continental Airlines, has appointed Sara Lee's top legal counsel, Brett Hart, as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Hart, who will join the company by Dec. 15, replaces Tom Sabatino, who is leaving United.In his new position, Hart...
 

Abercrombie & Fitch Names General Counsel

November 22, 2010

Clothing retailer, Abercrombie & Fitch, has named Ronald Robins to the top post of senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary. He succeeds David Cupps, who had served as general counsel since 2007 and will continue to work as senior counsel to the company.Robins joined A&F as deputy general counsel...
 

Sysco Appoints New General Counsel, Corporate Secretary

November 22, 2010

Food products company, Sysco Corporation, has announced the retirement of Michael Nichols as senior vice president of administration, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective Dec. 31.Following Nichols' retirement, Russell Libby, currently vice president and assistant general counsel, will assume the roles of vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary.Libby joined...
 

New York Life Elects General Counsel

November 19, 2010

New York Life Insurance Company has promoted Katherine O’Brien to senior vice president and deputy general counsel in the Office of the General Counsel. She will report to Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Sheila Davidson.O’Brien is now responsible for managing the employment, litigation, ERISA, contracts, intellectual...
 

Kodak Appoints New General Counsel

November 15, 2010

Eastman Kodak has appointed Laura Quatela to the newly consolidated position of general counsel and chief intellectual property officer. She will report directly to Kodak CEO Antonio Perez. Quatela, who has served as chief intellectual property officer since January 2008, assumes the additional role of general counsel from Joyce Haag,...
 

Dominion General Counsel to Retire

November 12, 2010

Dominion announced that James Stutts, senior vice president and general counsel, will retire from the company, effective Jan. 1, 2011. He has been with the company for 13 years.Upon Stutts' retirement, Robert Blue will be appointed as senior vice president of law, public policy & environment. Currently, Blue is senior...
 

Lubrizol General Counsel to Retire

November 12, 2010

$4.6 billion Lubrizol Corporation, a specialty chemical company that produces and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets, has hired Suzanne Day as corporate vice president and general counsel, effective Jan. 3, 2011. She will replace Joseph Bauer, who is retiring after 25 years with...
 

New York Life Insurance Promotes Deputy General Counsel

November 10, 2010

$22.2 billion New York Life Insurance Company has promoted Katherine O’Brien to senior vice president and deputy general counsel in the Office of the General Counsel. She will report to Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Sheila Davidson. O’Brien most recently served as vice president and deputy...
 

Alliant Energy Appoints General Counsel

November 04, 2010

$3.4 billion energy-services provider, Alliant Energy Corporation, has hired James Gallegos as vice president and general counsel, effective Nov. 8. He replaces current executive vice president and general counsel and chief administrative officer, Barbara Swan, who will retire later this year.Gallegos brings to Alliant Energy more than 25 years of...
 

Great Plains Energy Names Chief Compliance Officer

November 04, 2010

Great Plains Energy, the holding company of Kansas City Power & Light Company, has promoted Ellen Fairchild to vice president, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer.In her new role, Fairchild will be responsible for leading KCP&L's compliance and environmental departments. In addition, she will continue her responsibilities with the board...
 

Federal-Mogul Appoints General Counsel

November 02, 2010

Federal-Mogul Corporation, a global supplier of powertrain and safety technologies, has appointed Brett Pynnonen to the position of senior vice president and general counsel. Pynnonen will serve as a corporate officer and member of the Federal-Mogul Strategy board and will report to President and CEO Jose Maria Alapont.Pynnonen had been...
 

Smurfit-Stone Names General Counsel

October 28, 2010

$5.5 billion Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, an integrated container board and corrugated packaging producer, has named Craig Hunt to the position of chief administrative officer, effective Nov. 1. He will continue to serve in the role of general counsel, as well. Hunt, who currently serves as senior vice president, secretary and...
 

Barnes & Noble Appoints General Counsel

October 19, 2010

Barnes & Noble has appointed Gene DeFelice as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary.DeFelice will be responsible for all legal matters regarding Barnes & Noble and its subsidiaries, including management of outside counsel. He will provide guidance to the company and its board of directors on all corporate governance...
 

Ingersoll-Rand General Counsel to Retire

October 14, 2010

$3.3 billion Ingersoll-Rand, a multi-brand commercial products manufacturer, has appointed Robert Katz as senior vice president and general counsel, effective Nov. 1. He will succeed Patricia Nachtigal, who is retiring in late December after 31 years with the company.Katz joins Ingersoll Rand from Federal-Mogul Corporation, where he served for four...
 

Former Chartis General Counsel Joins Dewey & LeBoeuf

October 13, 2010

Andrew Holland, former senior vice president and general counsel of Chartis U.S., a unit of American International Group, has joined the insurance practice of Dewey & LeBoeuf as a partner in its New York office. Holland spent 11 years with the AIG organization. Prior to becoming General Counsel of Chartis...
 

Viterra Appoints General Counsel, Corporate Secretary

October 01, 2010

Viterra, a Canada-based provider of premium quality ingredients to global food manufacturers, has appointed James Bell, as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective Oct. 18. Bell will bring more than twenty years of significant international experience to Viterra's leadership team to support the development and execution of...
 

General Counsel of Hormel Foods to Retire

September 29, 2010

Hormel Foods Corporation has announced the retirement of James Cavanaugh, senior vice president of external affairs and general counsel, effective Jan. 30, 2011. Lori Marco will succeed Cavanaugh as vice president of external affairs and general counsel. Cavanaugh spent his 29-year career with the company in law. He started at...
 

Barclays Wealth Hires Chief Risk Officer

September 28, 2010

Global wealth management firm, Barclays Wealth, has announced two senior hires for the Americas, as it continues to expand in the region. Donald Gershuny has joined as a managing director and general counsel, Americas; Peter Reynolds has joined as a managing director and chief risk officer, Americas.Gershuny brings to his...
 

Apollo Group Names General Counsel, Corporate Secretary

September 28, 2010

Apollo Group, a private education provider, has named Sean Martin as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. He succeeds P. Robert Moya, who earlier this year announced his retirement as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. Moya will serve as executive vice president of special projects, until Oct....
 

Tribune Co. Names New General Counsel

September 21, 2010

The Tribune Co. has named David Eldersveld as general counsel, effective immediately. He succeeds Donald Liebentritt, who has been named chief restructuring officer and will now focus exclusively on the company's negotiations with creditors.The moves come at a time when the company is trying to lift itself out from Chapter...
 

Regal Beloit Appoints New General Counsel

September 21, 2010

Electrical equipment manufacturer, Regal Beloit, has appointed Peter Underwood as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective Sept. 27. In this capacity, Underwood will be responsible for all legal activities. He will report directly to CEO, Henry Knueppel. Underwood joins Regal Beloit from the law firm Foley & Lardner,...
 

Darden Restaurants Appoints New General Counsel

September 16, 2010

Darden Restaurants has appointed Teresa Mosley Sebastian as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, effective Oct. 8. She succeeds Paula Shives, who in March announced her plan to retire after being with the company since May 2009.Sebastian carries under her belt more than 25 years of experience in finance,...
 

Celgene Corporation Hires Chief Compliance Officer

September 10, 2010

John Soriano has been appointed corporate vice president and chief compliance officer of Celgene Corporation, a multinational biopharmaceutical company, effective as of Aug. 30.Soriano, who informed Compliance Week of his new position on Sept. 10, said he will report directly to Celgene CEO Robert Hugin.Soriano joins Celgene from Ingersoll-Rand Company,...
 

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Survey of the Week


Deloitte is conducting their annual Look Before You Leap: Managing Risks in Global Investments survey to better understand the approaches companies are taking to address compliance and integrity-related risks in emerging markets. 

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