Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 08:55 am

Intel's top attorney to take reins of Apple's legal team

By AppleInsider Staff

Announced as Apple's new general counsel and senior vice president Tuesday, Bruce Sewell held the same title when he previously worked with Intel Corporation.

Sewell will work in legal and government affairs for Apple and report directly to company co-founder Steve Jobs. The position is currently held by Daniel Cooperman, who has been with Apple for two years. Cooperman, who was previously general counsel and secretary at Oracle Corporation, is retiring at the end of September.

"We are thrilled to have Bruce join our executive team, and wish Dan a very happy retirement," Jobs said. "With Bruce’s extensive experience in litigation, securities and intellectual property, we expect this to be a seamless transition."

At Oracle, Cooperman was responsible for the software maker's legal department, including worldwide legal policies, corporate governance, securities compliance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial licensing, intellectual property, employment law, litigation, patent law and legal support for the firm's various business units.

About a year ago, Cooperman was issued a grant for 60,000 shares worth approximately $6,315,600. That was among more than $122 million in restricted stock-based compensation provided to members of the company's executive team, according to regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

At Intel, Sewell has been responsible for leading all of Intel’s legal, corporate affairs and corporate social responsibility programs, managing attorneys and policy professionals located in over 30 countries around the world. He joined Intel in 1995 as a senior attorney assigned to counsel various business groups in areas such as antitrust compliance, licensing and intellectual property. In 2001, Sewell was promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel, managing Intel’s litigation portfolio, and handled corporate transactions including M&A activities.

Prior to joining Intel, he was a partner in the litigation firm of Brown and Bain PC. Sewell was admitted to the California Bar in 1986 and to the Washington D.C. Bar in 1987. He received his J.D. from George Washington University in 1986, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Lancaster, in the United Kingdom, in 1979.