Beset by legal problems, Banc of California Inc. Tuesday promoted Angelee Harris to the role of corporate general counsel, effective April 15.

Harris, who was not available for comment, replaces John Grosvenor, 68, who is retiring. The Santa Ana-based bank said Grosvenor will continue to serve as a special counsel to the board of directors on “certain legacy matters” and to assist in the transition.

Details and compensation for Grosvenor's new job have not yet been determined, according to the company's filing Tuesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A previous filing showed Grosvenor made over $1.1 million in 2016 in salary, bonus and stock, while 2017 figures were not yet available for Grosvenor or Harris.

The GC change is the bank's third executive switch since the SEC opened an investigation into the company in January 2017, though Grosvenor's decision to retire is reportedly unrelated to the inquiry. The CEO and chief financial officer were replaced last year, and the bank has undergone serious corporate governance reforms.

The general counsel job goes to an insider who knows about the bank's legal problems. Harris has been executive vice president and general counsel of its banking division since 2013.

Before joining Banc of California, Harris was a partner and associate with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips for 11 years.

She also previously served three years as general counsel of Placer Sierra Bancshares before its acquisition by another company. Placer was a holding company for a commercial bank.

Banc of California said Harris has “more than 14 years' experience as a senior counselor and business partner and is adept at providing practical legal advice and identifying potential legal risks.”

“Angelee has served the company alongside John through many of the company's most important milestones,” said a statement from CEO Douglas Bowers.

Bowers also thanked Grosvenor for his many contributions to Banc of California since he took the GC seat in 2012.  “He was critical to both building the company from that time and in accomplishing the significant leadership and governance changes that we have implemented over the past year,” Bowers said.

The governance reforms came in response to allegations of misconduct. According to various news reports, the SEC is examining possible disclosure problems related to alleged business ties between the bank's former officers and Jason Galanis, a Los Angeles financier who pleaded guilty to securities fraud in 2016. The bank has denied any wrongdoing.

The bank also faces several shareholder and class action lawsuits related to the investigation, according to its latest quarterly filing with the SEC made last November. One complaint alleges the bank concealed its “alleged relationship with Jason Galanis [and] caused various statements made by the defendants to be false and misleading,” the filing says.

And at least three other former executives have filed wrongful-termination suits against the bank.

This story has been updated to add information about Grosvenor's retirement.