Apple general counsel leaves after less than a year

Apple Inc.'s general counsel, Donald Rosenberg, is leaving after less than a year to join Qualcomm Inc. according to published report in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).

Mr. Rosenberg was hired from International Business Machines Corp. in November as Apple was facing legal challenges amid problems with past stock-option grants. The post at Apple had been vacant for six months ahead of Mr. Rosenberg's hiring.

In a press release Apple announced that Daniel Cooperman, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary at Oracle Corporation, will join Apple as the company’s senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, reporting to Steve Jobs.

Cooperman will begin at Apple on November 1. “Dan will be an excellent addition to our team and will fit right into Apple’s fast paced culture,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Dan is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in securities compliance, intellectual property, litigation and corporate governance."