Michael Dillon of Adobe at Legaltech 2015. Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM.

Adobe is getting ready to say goodbye to its general counsel, who will be retiring in 2018.

Michael Dillon, who stepped into the top legal role at the San Jose-based technology company in 2012, will depart later this year once his replacement is named, according to an announcement from Adobe on Monday.

An executive search firm has been retained by Adobe Systems Inc. to replace Dillon and Chief Financial Officer Mark Garrett, who is also retiring. The search for successors will be conducted both internally and externally and involve the executives' participation.

“Mark and Mike have been phenomenal leaders and have played a pivotal role in making Adobe the company it is today. I'm grateful to both of them for their many contributions to Adobe's growth and future success,” said Adobe President and CEO Shantanu Narayen in the announcement. “Consistent with their exemplary leadership during their tenure at Adobe, Mark and Mike have committed to ensuring an orderly transition in advance of their retirement.”

The company added in the announcement that Dillon's team has “built a stellar track record” around governance, legal affairs, public policy and compliance. It also noted Dillon's “passion for the outdoors and the environment,” which led him to serve as executive sponsor for Adobe's sustainability programs.

Aside from sustainability, Dillon has also signed on to other social and political causes as legal boss at Adobe. He was one of a group of top in-house lawyers who signed a letter last year urging President Donald Trump to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He has also been vocal about efforts to increase legal department diversity, and spoke to Corporate Counsel about this topic last spring.

Before joining Adobe in 2012, Dillon served as the general counsel for various companies in the San Francisco Bay area, including Silver Spring Networks, Sun Microsystems Inc. and ONI Systems Corp.

Neither Dillon nor Adobe responded for comment.

When Dillon was hired in 2012, CEO Narayen said of the general counsel: “Mike's background spans a broad spectrum of legal areas and he has extensive experience working with both established and emerging growth companies. His expertise is a great match for Adobe's diverse business and growth agenda as we intensify our focus on multibillion-dollar opportunities in digital media and digital marketing.”