“Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has brought on Adam Golden to serve as head of U.S. life sciences transactions, further expanding on the London-founded firm’s recent growth in the U.S. legal market,” reports Sara Merken in Reuters Legal.
“Golden, who advises pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies and investors, joins as a partner in New York from Hogan Lovells, where he was head of the New York corporate practice group.”
“Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people, has appointed Katherine J. Brennan as General Counsel of Marsh LLC and Connor Kuratek as Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Marsh McLennan. Both appointments are effective June 1,” posts MarshMcLennan in their News & Events.
“Ms. Brennan will report to John Doyle, President and CEO, Marsh, and Peter J. Beshar, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Marsh McLennan. In her new role, she will lead all legal and compliance strategy for the Marsh business globally. Kate will continue to chair Marsh McLennan’s ESG management committee and the Company’s enterprise-wide Crisis Management Team. Kate succeeds Susan A. Stone who has served as Marsh General Counsel since 2017 and has just been appointed as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of CNA.”
“Altus Power America, Inc. (“Altus” or the “Company”) today announced the appointment of Sophia Lee as Chief Legal Officer. In this role, Ms. Lee will oversee all legal and compliance matters for the Company. Ms. Lee brings twenty-five years of legal experience to the position, having guided strategic business initiatives for public and high-growth private companies while also managing corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, complex commercial transactions, intellectual property, litigation, and regulatory matters,” posted Altus Power in their News.
“BASF SE, a chemical giant with a large litigation docket, has appointed an American, Matthew Lepore, to be its global general counsel and chief compliance officer,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s U.S. Law Week.
“Lepore spent the past three years as a senior vice president and global head of legal from BASF’s headquarters in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany. He confirmed via email his new role at BASF, first reported Tuesday by German legal publication Juve.”
“As of May 1, Lepore succeeded Wolfgang Haas, a German lawyer who spent the past decade as BASF’s global legal chief with responsibility for the company’s tax, insurance, intellectual property, and customs teams. Lepore will assume the bulk of those duties, although tax and customs will be overseen by BASF in-house lawyer Oliver Nussbaum, according to Juve.”
“Union Square Ventures LLC, which scored big with an investment in newly public cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc., has hired its first-ever general counsel,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s US Law Week.
“Samson Mesele, who spent the past half-dozen years as a corporate associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, confirmed in an email to Bloomberg Law that he became the New York-based venture capital firm’s first legal chief last month.”
“USV, co-founded by partners Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham, invested $2.5 million in Coinbase back in 2013. Coinbase, now the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, saw its valuation soar past $100 billion following a direct listing in April on the Nasdaq exchange.”
“GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE: GDDY), the company that empowers everyday entrepreneurs, today announced Michele Lau will assume the role of GoDaddy’s Chief Legal Officer effective July 12, 2021, and Mark McCaffrey will assume the role of GoDaddy’s Chief Financial Officer effective June 2, 2021. Both will report to GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani. Lau and McCaffrey replace CLO Nima Kelly and CFO Ray Winborne, who both announced their intent to retire earlier this year,” posted GoDaddy in their Newsroom.
“With close to 20 years of legal experience, Lau most currently served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Associate General Counsel, Corporate, Governance and Transactions at McKesson Corporation. In her role, Lau advises McKesson’s board and executives on strategic matters related M&A, McKesson Ventures, corporate strategy, shareholder engagement, securities, executive compensation, corporate governance, ESG, antitrust, debt, treasury, bankruptcy, real estate, subsidiary governance, stock plan administration and the McKesson Foundation. Lau co-chairs the National Asian Pacific Bar Association’s In-House Counsel Mentoring Program and serves on the board of directors of the Asian Pacific Fund.”
“Victoria’s Secret has hired former Express Inc. and Abercrombie & Fitch lawyer Melinda McAfee as its first chief legal officer,” reports Ruiqi Chen in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.
“McAfee joined the Columbus, Ohio-based clothing and lingerie company in April, she said on her LinkedIn profile. Parent company L Brands confirmed the move via a spokesperson.”
“McAfee joins Victoria’s Secret after two years with Express as senior vice president and general counsel.”
“A former Coca-Cola Co. lawyer will become the new interim chief legal officer for Tilray Inc., the world’s largest legal weed operation by revenue, the company announced Monday,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.
“Tilray and Aphria Inc., a rival Canadian cannabis company it agreed to acquire in December, confirmed May 3 the completion of that $3.8 billion deal and the appointment of a new executive leadership team.”
“Tilray’s general counsel Dara Redler will serve as interim legal chief and corporate secretary of the combined company, which will use the Tilray name.”
“Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) announced today the appointment of Gina Beredo as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, effective June 9, 2021. She will be responsible for overseeing global legal operations, government affairs, and corporate affairs. Ms. Beredo will join Owens Corning from Nordson Corporation, a global designer and manufacturer of dispensing equipment for consumer and industrial adhesives, sealants, and coatings, where she served for eight years, most recently as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary,” releases Owens Corning in their Newsroom.
“At Nordson, Ms. Beredo oversees the company’s legal function in global mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, ethics and compliance, litigation, and other general corporate legal matters. Prior to joining Nordson in 2013, Ms. Beredo served as Chief Litigation Counsel and Director of Compliance & Ethics at American Greetings Corporation. Prior to being named General Counsel in January 2018, she served as the Deputy General Counsel. Ms. Beredo began her legal career as a litigation associate at BakerHostetler LLP.”
“Three teams in Major League Soccer are switching law office jobs with the mid-April kickoff of the top tier of the U.S. sport’s 2021 season—a start delayed a few weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.
“D. Brock Denton, outside general counsel for FC Cincinnati, an MLS team whose owners include former gubernatorial candidate and business executive Meg Whitman, will give up his role when he starts a new job Aug. 1 with Cintas Corp., one of the largest U.S. uniform and workplace product suppliers.”
“But Denton will be in attendance Saturday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at FC Cincinnati’s new home, the 26,000-seat TQL Stadium. He’ll also be there when his team makes its home field debut May 16 against Inter Miami CF, which is co-owned by former global soccer star David Beckham.”
“In his 13th year as Group General Counsel of UBS, Markus Diethelm has decided to step down from his current role effective 1 November 2021. He will remain in a senior advisor role into 2022 with responsibility for select legacy litigation cases. Markus joined the Group Executive Board in 2008 and has achieved a notable reduction of our litigation portfolio, zealously defending the firm‘s interests. He has also modernized the Group General Counsel function, optimizing related operational risk charges for the firm and total legal costs,” released UBS in their Media.
Barbara Levi will succeed Markus Diethelm as Group General Counsel effective 1 November 2021. She joins UBS from Rio Tinto Group where she has served as Chief Legal Officer & External Affairs and before that as Group General Counsel and member of the Executive Committee since January 2020. From 2004 to 2019, she worked for Novartis Group in various senior management roles, including Group Legal Head, M&A and Strategic Transactions, Global Legal Head & General Counsel of Sandoz, the Novartis generics and biosimilars division and Global Legal Head, Product Strategy & Commercialization, for the Novartis Pharma division. Before joining Novartis, Barbara worked in private practice in New York and Milan. She is a qualified attorney-at-law admitted to the US Supreme Court and to the bar in Milan and New York State.
“Alphabet Inc.’s chief legal officer, J. Kent Walker Jr., received a total compensation package last year valued at $50.9 million, according to a proxy statement filed Friday,” reports Brain Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s US Law Week.
“Walker was paid $655,000 in annual base salary and had stock awards valued at more than $50.2 million, Google’s parent disclosed in the filing. Walker’s stock awards will vest over a four-year period.”
“He currently owns more than $11.4 million in Alphabet stock, according to Bloomberg data. Securities filings show that Walker has sold off more than $9.6 million in company stock since December.”
“Alphabet said in its proxy statement that Walker “oversees teams responsible for content policy, government affairs, legal matters, philanthropy, and responsible innovation.” Since coming aboard in 2006, Walker has also led Google’s “advocacy on competition, content, copyright, and privacy,” the proxy said.”
“Coca-Cola Co.’s surprising decision to replace its general counsel after nearly eight months on the job is one of several recent changes involving the company’s legal and compliance personnel,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.
“The company also parted ways earlier this year with veteran in-house lawyer C. Benjamin Garren Jr., a former Baker Botts and Cravath, Swaine & Moore associate who spent 25 years in a variety of in-house roles at the beverage behemoth.”
“Coca-Cola recently hired Paul Lalli as global head of human rights, company spokesman Scott Leith confirmed. Lalli, an attorney, spent the past 18 years at General Electric Co., where he was general counsel for labor and human rights.”
“Tesla’s longstanding vice president of legal and acting general counsel, Al Prescott, has left the electric vehicle and renewable energy company to join Luminar, a lidar start-up,” reports Lora Kolodny in CNBC’s Tech.
“The move is noteworthy in many ways. For one, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has long insisted that lidar technology, or light ranging and detection sensors, is too expensive and not necessary for development of autonomous vehicles. Prescott’s move to Luminar, where he will serve as chief legal officer, is an endorsement of the technology, however.”
“Bill Berry, currently Tesla’s head of litigation, who joined in October 2020 and previously spent time working for Google, is expected to head the Tesla department but not assume the role of general counsel according to people familiar with the matter.”
“The Coca-Cola Company … announced the election of Monica Howard Douglas as senior vice president and general counsel,” released The Coca-Cola Company in their Press Releases.
“Douglas is a 17-year veteran of the company who most recently served as chief compliance officer and associate general counsel for the North America operating unit. In her new role, Douglas will oversee the company’s global legal function, reporting to Chairman and CEO James Quincey.”
“Douglas joined Coca-Cola in 2004 as senior managing counsel. She went on to hold roles of increasing responsibility, including as legal director for Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa, before being named general counsel for Coca-Cola North America in 2018.”
“Mastercard … announced the appointment of Tim Murphy, the company’s general counsel, to the newly created position of chief administrative officer. In this role, he will have oversight of the company’s Law, Franchise and Integrity activities, as well as the added management of its People and Capabilities function,” released MasterCard in their Investor News.
“Michael Fraccaro will continue as chief people officer and a member of the company’s management committee, reporting to Murphy. Together, they will further shape and drive Mastercard’s world-class culture with decency at its core.”
“A 21-year veteran of the company, Murphy has helped to shape Mastercard throughout his tenure, beginning with his role as one of the lead lawyers for the company’s initial public offering. Since then, he has blended business and legal insights and evolution, serving at different times as president of the company’s U.S. region and chief product officer.”
“Hippo, the home insurance group that created a new standard of care and protection for homeowners, today announced four key leadership appointments to its legal and compliance team with combined expertise in reinsurance, insurance compliance, governance, national warranty, and federal securities laws. Hippo’s latest legal appointments, who hold deep ties with key business partners and regulators within the U.S. home insurance sector, will support the growth and expansion of Hippo’s protective home insurance products to reach millions more homeowners across the country,” released Hippo in Cision PRWeb.
“Hippo’s collaborative approach to regulation is fundamental to the company’s mission to deliver intuitive and proactive protection for its home insurance customers. The company’s innovative home insurance model allows for a proactive dialogue with state and federal regulators to ensure the customer’s safety and protection remains top of mind, both in the expansion of its insurance products and in the development of new added protective offerings. Hippo’s alignment with regulators to protect homeowners creates stronger partnerships and pathways that lead to better business practices and safer homes, customers, and surrounding communities.”
“Little Caesars Enterprises Inc. and Smoothie King Franchises Inc., two privately held eateries with ruling aspirations to their names, unveiled new roles this week for two top in-house lawyers,” reports Brian Baxter in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.
“Smoothie King, the world’s largest smoothie brand, disclosed April 13 that it hired Joshua Nicosia as chief legal officer in March. Nicosia is a former general counsel and head of franchise development at rival smoothie chain Jamba Juice Co.”
“Little Caesars Enterprises, the parent company of the Detroit-based pizza chain of the same name, announced April 12 its promotion of general counsel and vice president of business support services Erin Martin to the newly created role of chief of staff. Martin will retain her legal duties, said company spokeswoman Lara Zade.”
“Nearly 20 current and former general counsel of major corporations have joined Big Law leaders in signing a statement opposing voter disenfranchisement, following changes to Georgia’s voting laws,” reports Ruiqi Chen in Bloomberg Law’s Business & Practice.
“The top lawyers that have signed the letter represent companies like American International Group Inc., Starbucks Corp., ViacomCBS Inc., and Bristol Myers Squibb Co. None of the in-house leaders who had signed the statement as of Monday afternoon work for Georgia-headquartered companies.”
“More than 60 leaders of AmLaw 100 firms have also signed on in support of “making voting easier, not harder, for all eligible voters,” said the statement, which was circulated among legal industry leaders by Paul Weiss Chairman Brad Karp and AIG General Counsel Lucy Fato.”
“FOX News Media has named Bernard T. Gugar as General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, announced its CEO Suzanne Scott, to whom he will report. Mr. Gugar will begin his new role effective immediately,” announced Fox News in their Press Releases.
“Mr. Gugar joins the network from Google, where he served as the U.S. Head of Industries for Google Cloud’s Deal Pursuit Organization. In his role, Mr. Gugar led a team that drives Google Cloud’s most strategic and complex transactions across several industry sectors. Prior to that, Mr. Gugar provided his skills and background to the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Booth School of Business, where he guided tech entrepreneurs spanning digital media, fintech, healthcare, artificial intelligence and E-commerce industries in developing and monetizing their business ventures.”