Apple's head lawyer steps down

Apple Computer's top lawyer has left the company, in the third high-level departure from the Mac maker in recent months.

The company on Monday confirmed the departure of general counsel Nancy Heinen, who was its highest-ranking female executive, but did not say when she left, or why.

"Nancy Heinen is no longer an Apple employee," said company spokesman Steve Dowling. "We've already begun the search for a (new) general counsel. In the interim, Peter Oppenheimer, our chief financial officer, will oversee Apple's legal department."

Heinen's exit follows that of iPod division chief and longtime hardware executive Jon Rubinstein, as well as that of chief software technology officer Avie Tevanian. Tevanian on Monday joined the board of directors of voice portal company Tellme Networks.

Word of Heinen's departure comes just as Apple scored a major victory in a British court, with a judge ruling that Apple can keep using the Apple logo in conjunction with its iTunes Music Store.

Heinen's departure was noted Friday on Apple enthusiast site Apple Insider.

[BentonBear]

CFO substitutes legal department?

Why would Apple task a CFO to head a legal department? Is
Apple legal so shallow it has no Deputy Counsel to serve
interim?

[technewsjunkie]

Leaving on a high note;-)

Good time to leave, after a major victory.

[dotmike]

Conveniently delayed

The story that is. I saw this reported last week elsewhere.

Cnet wouldn't have held it back to coincide with a possible Apple
defeat now would they...?! The headlines would have looked
great together:

Beatles defeat Apple
and,
Apple's head lawyer steps down

[Below Meigh]

Doubtful

Since the judge said Apple Computer was not in violation, and Apple (Beatles) is going back for an appeal, I doubt she left for that.
More than likey, its related to "time to move on to better things" aka stress is not worth it aka let some other little fish swim with the sharks.
You have to understand that with over $5Bil in cash, everyone and their sister is suing Apple Comp from poor iPods, damaging audio, to Apple Comp defending its icons and software.

Good luck Apple! both of you (Jobs & co). Meanwhile, I'll still use your products, but not with the rabid-blind loyalty I used to have.

[lawrencewinkler]

Cause for concern

Apple has seen too many chiefs depart in the last several
months. Causes me considerable concern.

And, given Jobs high-profile antics regarding a book critical of
him, antics at Pixar (not giving credit to those who helped make
him) , his refusal to write a forward for Wozniak, and an overly
expensive new campus for Apple tells me Jobs' ego is out of
control and Apple execs are bailing out. Jobs' behavior leading
to his dismissal from Apple years ago is likely reappearing.

There will soon be another book: The Rise and Final Fall of Apple
and Jobs.

I certainly hope I'm reading the tea leaves wrong.

[Thomas, David]

Doubtful

I can't speak about the others, but when it comes to a lawyer, they
have nothing to do with designing software, or hardware from an
engineering standpoint.