Google has named Halimah DeLaine Prado its new general counsel, taking over day-to-day oversight of the company's legal team from Kent Walker, who had essentially retained the GC role since being promoted to a broader position in 2018.
The big picture: Tech giants' legal teams are in a busy season as policymaker scrutiny rises and potential antitrust cases loom.
Between the lines: DeLaine Prado's promotion makes her a woman of color in a senior leadership role, rare for Silicon Valley and corporate America writ large. The tech industry has faced pressure both from outside and from within its own workforce to diversify at the top.
- That said, Walker will still remain in his role as senior vice president of global affairs, serving as DeLaine Prado's boss at the helm of Google's policy and legal teams worldwide.
Background: DeLaine Prado, a graduate of Yale University and Georgetown Law, has been at Google since 2006, most recently serving as vice president of legal, where she ran the global team handling counsel for Google products including ads, search and YouTube.
- Walker in a statement called her "uniquely qualified to lead the Legal Department at this critical moment."
