On Assignment Inc., a firm that helps companies hire skilled workers in the technology, health care, and life sciences sectors, has a new hire of its own in the legal department.

Jennifer Painter started as the firm’s vice president and general counsel at the beginning of June. Tarini Ramaprakash stepped down from the position to spend more time with her family, but will continue to work for On Assignment as assistant general counsel.

On Assignment is a new canvas for Painter, who has previously used her civil engineering background to guide her work as general counsel for MRV Communications Inc., a global provider of optical communications network infrastructure equipment and services.
“Before, I dealt with engineering and products, and this is all about people,” she says.
She also previously served as vice president and general counsel for The Ryland Group Inc., a national homebuilder, and vice president and general counsel of Cadiz Inc., a water and agricultural company.
Painter started her career as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point. While working as an officer in the corps, she studied law by night at the Loyola Law School of Los Angeles.
“It was a great change of pace,” she says. “I worked hard as a captain during the day, and turned my brain on to something different and learned about the law,” she says.
At On Assignment, Painter will work on regulatory and securities issues, as she has at other companies, but will now also take on responsibility for helping navigate changes brought by the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
“We don’t really know how its going to affect our industry and the staffing business, but that is something that I am going to be exploring,” she says.
Though On Assignment is unlike the companies at which she has previously worked, Painter said she looks forward to taking her experience advising large companies to this new industry.
“I like learning, and I like new things,” she says. “I’d love to learn about the industry and provide support.”