Lilly has picked a long-time company man to replace Robert Armitage, who will step down at the end of the year as the pharma company’s senior VP and general counsel.
Michael Harrington has spent more than 20 years at Lilly and is currently serving as VP and deputy general counsel.
He will take up his new role on January 1, 2013, when he will oversee all legal functions across Lilly’s five business units, reporting directly to the company’s CEO John Lechleiter and serving on the company’s executive committee.
Michael Harrington and Robert Armitage
His predecessor Armitage had been in the role since January 2003, having originally joined Lilly in 1999 as VP and general patent counsel.
Lilly praised the major role Armitage played in the passage of the America Invents Act during 2011, a year that also saw him inducted into the Intellectual Property Hall of Fame.
The company’s CEO John Lechleiter said: “Bob Armitage has left a lasting impact on Lilly and the biopharmaceutical industry with his exceptional contributions, particularly in the field of intellectual property. He also has provided keen insight and extraordinary leadership across a range of business issues affecting our company. It’s been an absolute privilege to work with him.”
Harrington has been with Lilly since 1991, serving in a number of business and legal positions during his career.
This has included managing director of Eli Lilly New Zealand, general counsel for Lilly’s Asia-Pacific operations and deputy general counsel with responsibility for all litigation, manufacturing, environmental and human resources matters.
“Mike is well-prepared for his new assignment,” said Lechleiter. “He has been instrumental in handling many of the key legal challenges we have faced in the last few years.”