Rio Tinto has made two new appointments to head its London legal team, splitting former managing attorney Leah Cooper's role into two.

Warren Goodman has taken on the role of general counsel corporate, Europe, in addition to his current position as general counsel, business development, while Angela Mullany takes the title of managing attorney in conjunction with her existing role as general counsel to exploration.

In his new role, Goodman will take responsibility for M&A, human resources and environmental issues in Europe, supported by Mullany, who will handle budgeting and administrative duties.

Group executive of legal and external affairs Debra Valentine, who oversees Rio Tinto's legal function, cited the managing attorney role as being designed for a lawyer who is just entering the senior leadership team.

The role will be moved around the global business every few years to allow its lawyers to gain experience at the top level of the business.

Valentine said: "The managing attorney role is a very good developmental opportunity, allowing people on the cusp of the senior management team to take on budget, administrative and mentoring responsibilities that will give them valuable insight into how the business and legal function is run globally."

Rio Tinto former managing attorney Cooper announced her departure from the company in February this year to join legal outsourcing provider CPA Global.

Cooper, who struck a deal with CPA in June last year to outsource Rio's volume legal work to a team of lawyers in India, arrived at the company in March and now sits on the legal outsourcing board driving strategy and development in a non-legal capacity.