News Corp appoints interim general counsel

Jacobs quit the organisation in June after serving seven years in the top job  in June (16 June 2011).

Nova was formerly deputy general counsel and senior vice president of News Corp and has worked at the media organisation for the past 14 years. She was previously an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett from 1992 to 1997.

The in-house lawyer takes over leadership at the height of the phone-hacking scandal, which has seen News Corp’s chief executive and chairman Rupert Murdoch, his son James Murdoch and former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks provide evidence in front of a parliamentary select committee in London, the closure of tabloid newspaper News of the World and investigations into alleged corruption within the Metropolitan Police.

Nova was at the Murdochs’ side during their appearance at the select committee on Tuesday  (19 July) and stepped in to defend Murdoch senior when a protestor threw a plate of shaving foam at him.

Former general counsel Jacobs announced his resignation to “pursue other opportunities” after 15 years at News Corp.

During Jacobs’ time as legal chief the phone-hacking scandal gradually ramped up and subsidiary News International was forced to apologise and pay settlements to celebrities and other victims of the phone hacking operation.

News Corp is understood to be looking at both internal and external candidates to recruit a permanent replacement for Jacobs.