Siemens has appointed a new UK general counsel and company secretary with the hire of Vodafone legal director Claire Carless.

Carless, whose appointment was announced yesterday (5 March), takes over the role from Gerard Gent, who has retired from the electronic and engineering giant after 16 years at the helm of the company's legal function.

Carless has spent the past decade at Vodafone, prior to which she held the role of legal manager at National Power for eight years. She also spent time in private practice at Stephenson Harwood in London and Hong Kong.

She is a trustee for LawWorks – a pro bono charity which provides legal advice for individuals and groups who cannot afford to pay for it and are unable to access legal aid.

Carless will work alongside Siemens global GC Peter Solmssen, who has held the role since October 2007. He was previously legal chief of GE Healthcare.

Siemens chief executive Roland Aurich said: "I am delighted that Claire Carless has joined us as our general counsel. It is a fascinating time for our company as we consolidate and grow our UK business."

The news comes after Siemens became embroiled in a dispute at the close of 2010 after Eurostar handed the company a reported €600m (£522m) contract for a new fleet of trains following a successful pitch against France's Alstom Transport.

Alstom applied for an interim injunction to prevent the deal, but the case was resolved last summer after the demand was rejected in the High Court. Freshfields advised Siemens, with Hogan Lovells acting for Alstom.

Other law firms Siemens has worked with in the past include Baker & McKenzie and Clifford Chance.