Insurance giant American International Group (AIG) has appointed ex-MCI legal head Anastasia Kelly as its new worldwide general counsel.

Kelly, who left MCI earlier this year after its merger with communications giant Verizon, replaces Ernest Patrikis, who was general counsel for the past seven years.

Kelly will now oversee a department of about 400 lawyers and assume responsibility for regulatory and compliance issues.

Kelly joined MCI as chief legal officer in 2003 having previously been general counsel at Sears, Roebuck & Co and mortgage giant Fannie Mae.

AIG instructs hundreds of law firms worldwide, although its regular advisers include Cahill Gordon & Reindel and Sullivan & Cromwell in the US and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Norton Rose in Europe. Baker & McKenzie is also a frequent adviser.

In April, Addleshaw Goddard won AIG as a client when it advised the company on its £56.5m sponsorship deal with Manchester United FC.

In February, AIG agreed a $1.64bn (£870m) settlement with the New York Attorney General's office following charges of fraud and improper accounting.

AIG is the world's biggest insurer and fourth-largest company overall with 97,000 employees and annual revenues of $109bn (£58bn).

Reported on legalweek.com (8 September).