Apple hires ex-IBM legal chief

Apple Computer Inc., facing 10 lawsuits over stock option backdating, named IBM Corp. executive Donald Rosenberg as its general counsel.

Rosenberg, 55, held the same position at IBM, Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple said Monday. He replaces general counsel Nancy Heinen, who resigned in May after working 12 years with Chief Executive Steve Jobs.

During his 30 years at IBM, Rosenberg focused on securities, intellectual property and competition issues that required him to work with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice and European authorities, Apple said.

He will oversee all legal matters and government affairs for Apple and will report to Jobs.

Apple is one of at least 176 companies that have disclosed internal or federal investigations tied to stock option accounting.

Shareholder lawsuits, filed in California after Apple announced its internal review in June, claim that Jobs improperly benefited from a 7.5-million-share grant.

Heinen, who hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing, hired a criminal defense attorney in the event she is involved in an investigation into option backdating.