The warnings were each to the effect that the company could face punitive damages over crashes relating to the faulty functioning of its vehicles. General counsel Michael Millikin was in that role during the whole period, and counsel Lucy Clarke Dougherty was in her role for the later warnings. At least 13 people died as a result and GM recalled 2.6m vehicles this spring in relation to the ignition switch problem. When the ignition switch malfunctioned it could cut power to the engine, power steering and power braking whilst also disabling the airbags. 

Junior lawyers

Claire McCaskill, chair of the committee, said: ‘I think the failure of this legal department is stunning.’ Speaking to Mr Millikin, she said: ‘I don’t get how you and Lucy Clark Dougherty still have your jobs.’ GM’s CEO Mary Barra told the committee that lawyers lower down in the department had not fully alerted Mr Millikin to the scale of the problem. Source: Financial Times