GM’s Beleaguered Chief Attorney to Retire

Michael Millikin

Michael Millikin, General Motors Co.'s general counsel for the past five years, is retiring early next year. GM is launching an immediate external search for his replacement.

Millikin's announcement comes three months after his department was heavily criticized by a U.S. Senate panel for failing to properly handle the recall of 2.6 million cars with faulty ignition switches. The defect has since been linked to 27 deaths.

At the time, CEO Mary Barra defended Millikin for his "impeccable integrity." But an independent probe into GM's belated response to the ignition switch problem showed that the company's legal department had been well aware of the issue for years but failed to advise top management about the possible need for a recall. GM fired at least five members of its legal staff in June.

Millikin joined GM in 1977 and served in various legal roles in Europe and South Korea before becoming associate general counsel in 2005. He was named general counsel two years later.