LeBoeuf partner Garard appointed ITV legal chief

ITV has appointed LeBoeuf Lamb Green & Macrae corporate partner Andrew Garard as its legal director to replace outgoing Kyla Mullins.

It is understood that Garard, who was previously group general counsel at Cable & Wireless, had decided to return to in-house work following his one-year stint at the firm.

He is expected to take over the reins from Mullins later this autumn and will be reporting to ITV’s chief operating officer and finance director John Cresswell. Garard will also have a seat on ITV’s executive board.

Cresswell has said Garard’s exposure to the media and telecommunications sectors placed him in the optimal position to offer expert advice to the public service broadcaster.

Mullins announced her departure from the group earlier this year. She was formerly legal director at Granada and had been appointed as ITV’s legal director following its merger with Granada in 2003.

LeBoeuf London managing partner Peter Sharp said: "It's been very interesting having Andrew as a partner because he has taught a lot of us more about what it means to be a general counsel for a FTSE100 company and what people in that position are looking for in their law firms.

"He's a very capable lawyer and he's decided that it's in-house lawyering that he really wants to do."

Sharp added that, as Garard's departure comes at the same time as the firm's merger with Dewey Ballantine, the firm will wait until the merger is complete before making a decision on whether to replace him.