Gail Sharps Myers, general counsel of Denny's Corp.

Gail Sharps Myers has joined diner chain Denny's Corp. as general counsel.

Monday's announcement names Myers as the legal leader replacing Tim Flemming, who retired in January after 27 years with the Spartanburg, South Carolina-based company. Myers started her new gig Monday.

Like most restaurant companies, Denny's has been dealing with the sudden economic blow of COVID-19. Last month, Denny's released its quarterly earnings and showed that 82% of its restaurants were operating, heavily depending on takeout and delivery options to customers ordered to stay at home. It added that 312 restaurants were temporarily closed in the United States and abroad and 512 restaurants reopened to limited dine-in capacity in adherence to COVID-19 social-distancing rules.

Denny's operates 1,700 restaurants around the world, including 147 restaurants in several countries such as Canada, the U.K. and Indonesia.

"I am excited to be joining Denny's and look forward to working with [CEO] John Miller and his team to help drive Denny's growth strategy," Myers wrote in a statement to Corporate Counsel.

Myers most recently served as the executive vice president, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer for American Tire Distributors Inc. She joined the company in May 2018.

A request for information on who will be the next general counsel at American Tire Distributors was not answered immediately.

Myers comes to Denny's with previous in-house experience in the food industry. She is the former senior vice president, deputy general counsel and chief compliance counsel at foodservice distributor U.S. Foods and senior vice president, general counsel and secretary at snack maker Snyder's-Lance Inc. Her Big Law stints include being an associate at Loeb & Loeb and Kaye Scholer.

She received her law degree from American University Washington College of Law and her MBA from Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business.