Apple hires Intel’s top lawyer as its general counsel

Apple hires Intel’s top lawyer

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple Inc. said Tuesday it hired Intel Corp.’s top lawyer, Bruce Sewell, a day after the chip maker announced his departure.

Apple said Sewell will report to CEO Steve Jobs as the company’s general counsel and senior vice president for legal and government affairs.

Daniel Cooperman, who has held the job for the past two years, will retire at the end of the month, the company said.

In a statement, Jobs said, “We expect this to be a seamless transition.”

Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, said Monday that Sewell and Pat Gelsinger, the head of its main division, were leaving the company. It also announced a major reorganization of its management, though the company said the departures were not related.

Sewell joined Intel in 1995, rising to vice president and deputy general counsel in 2001.

Before Apple’s announcement, Intel declined on Monday to say what Sewell’s next job would be. He had been heading up the company’s effort to fend off antitrust claims, including the appeal of a $1.45 billion antitrust fine from the European Union.