The American Bar Association (ABA) has named ex-Microsoft general counsel William Neukom as its new president, becoming the second former in-house chief to hold the title.

Neukom – currently a partner at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis – took on the role last month and will serve a one-year term.

Neukom joined K&L Gates – where Microsoft founder Bill Gates' father was a name partner – in 2002 after a 17-year stint with the IT giant, having joined in 1985 as its first general counsel.

At Microsoft Neukom helped develop a legal team that now numbers 600 lawyers, as well as leading its successful seven-year copyright battle with Apple.

He replaces outgoing ABA president Karen Mathis, a partner at Denver firm McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter.

Neukom told Corporate Counsel magazine his main focus would be the ABA's World Justice Project, which aims to expand the rule of law across the globe.

The last general counsel to hold the title of top ABA role was former Philips Petroleum Company legal head Bill Paul, who headed up the US legal association between 1999 and 2000.

The ABA is the largest voluntary professional association in the world, boasting more than 400,000 members.

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