With cannabis now legal in Canada, Canadian cannabis company Aphria has announced a new chief legal officer, Christelle Gedeon. Ms. Gedeon says, "What attracts me to this role the fact that the industry is so new, and the work [I'll] be doing is new, innovative and cutting edge." CLOs remain a rarity for US cannabis companies, but their Canadian counterparts are already hiring.

Software Company Alfresco has named its new general counsel, promoting Kamil Chaudhary to vice president and general counsel.

Moving out of corporate counsel, Kanan Rele has left media agency Ogilvy & Mather as vice president to join Delhi law firm Singh&Singh, Malhotra&Hegde (SSMH) as a Partner. Ms. Kanan has over 15 years of experience and specializes in the areas of media & information technology laws. Founder & Managing Partner, Vanditta Malhotra Hegde commented, “Kanan has a very firm and strong foothold in various areas of law with an emphasis in the areas of TMT and Corporate laws with an overall extensive and in-depth In-House expertise, this makes her adept at understanding the business and commercial aspects involved in every transaction which gives her that competitive edge.”

Going in the other direction, Fintech expert Lee Schneider has left McDermott Will & Emery to become GC at a blockchain startup Block.one. He joins the blockchain software developer after having just joined the law firm last autumn from Debevoise & Plimpton.

In a novel move, there is life after corporate counsel! Shelby Yastrow, ex-GC of McDonald's, has joined with a former golf pro Tony Jacklin to co-author a new courtroom suspense novel about libel called “Justice.” In-house restaurant expert Jay Wolszczak has joined First Watch Restaurants Inc., a growing daytime-restaurant chain specialising in breakfast, brunch and lunch. He joins as the firms first GC from Hard Rock Cafe International Inc, after more than 20 years.