The Greater London Authority (GLA) has hired Sutton Borough's legal chief, Fiona Ledden, to take on its coveted head of law and procurement role. Ledden will replace high-profile legal chief Thelma Stober, who left last August after less than a year in the role.

Interim legal head Charlie Aiden will stay in the post until Ledden joins the GLA at the end of March. Ledden has been with Sutton Borough for 17 years after joining as a childcare lawyer in 1991. She became executive head of legal and democratic services four years ago.

Her appointment comes days after London Mayor Ken Livingstone announced the results of a review of the GLA Group's ethical procurement policy, which affects legal teams at Transport for London (TfL), the London Development Agency (LDA), the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and the Metropolitan Police Service.

LDA legal chief Debbie Adams told Legal Week that she was planning to press law firms to comply with responsible procurement conditions – which would include diversity and environmental conditions – in the body's panel review at the end of this year.

She said: "We do encourage diversity in our supply chains and legal services will be no different. It will be something we take into consideration when we embark on our next procurement round later in the year."

More in-house news, comment and analysis

For thousands of the best legal jobs, click here.