Snap general counsel, Chris Handman is exiting less than six months after its initial public offering. A statement said he was leaving to spend more time with his family. He will continue as an adviser. Mr Handman joined Snapchat in 2014 after spending 14 years at law firm Hogan Lovells in Washington DC where he was a partner. He had a close relationship with Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and played a major role in helping the company’s IPO in March. Deputy general counsel Dom Perella will step in as interim GC whilst the company fills the position. 

Roseburg Forest Products has hired its first general counsel. Stuart Gray joins from Sears Holdings in Chicago on 7 Aug as senior vice president and general counsel. The company has more than 3,000 employees and operates in Oregon, California, Montana, Louisiana and Mississippi. It also has a business office in Atlanta. For the previous 12 years Mr Gray worked in the legal department at Home Depot, one of Roseburg Forest Products’ biggest customers. At Home Depot’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta, he managed commercial and construction litigation, and he was an associate general counsel for its home services, pro supply, operations and real estate departments. Before attending law school, Mr Gray worked as a cabinetmaker and finish carpenter.

S&P 500 company Stanley Black & Decker has named Janet Link as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Ms Link joins Stanley Black & Decker from J.C. Penney where she served as general counsel. She succeeds Bruce Beatt who is retiring from the company after 17 years of service and nearly 40 years in the legal field. Ms Link's appointment is effective immediately and Mr Beatt will remain with the company for a transition period extending through April 2018. Prior to J.C. Penney, Ms Link held deputy general counsel positions at Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings and CC Media Holdings (now known as iHeartMedia). She was also a partner at Latham & Watkins.

Velcro Companies today announced that Anne Taubes Warner has joined the company as general counsel, based in Boston.As a leader, she has managed legal functions in more than 30 countries and has served on senior leadership teams. Prior to joining Velcro Companies, she served as general counsel and chief compliance officer for Pegasystems, where she oversaw a large global team responsible for all aspects of in-house legal, corporate and employment law and deal negotiations. Prior to that, she was associate general counsel for Alexion Pharmaceuticals and senior counsel for global M&A for Inverness Medical Innovations. 

Executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of FedEx Christine Richards will retire from the company in September. She has led the department for over ten years. Ms Richards joined the company in 1984, serving in a variety of leadership positions over her 30-plus-year career with FedEx, and was vital in business acquisitions including that of TNT in 2015. In a statement, the company said her successor would be named at a later date.