Veteran general counsel Peter Lieb is leaving Aon after 10 years with the global brokerage.

According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Lieb will transition from his role as executive vice-president, GC and secretary at London-based Aon to a position as "special legal adviser" to the company's chief executive officer by year's end and retire, effective December 31, 2020. In addition to his current base salary of $700,000, Lieb also will receive a cash payment of $1.8 million for duties carried out during the transition period.

Through a company spokesman, Lieb declined to comment on his move, but said in a statement: "After almost 25 years in the private sector, working primarily as an in-house corporate lawyer, I'm energised by the idea of using my legal skills to give back to our community in new and different ways. I have every confidence in our leadership team and the direction of the firm, making this an ideal time to transition my responsibilities."

The spokesman declined to provide further information about Lieb's plans.

Before joining Aon in 2009, Lieb had served as GC at financial technology giant NCR Corp. since 2006.

Peter Lieb, executive vice-president and general counsel with Aon. Credit: Lindsay Gallup.

In a varied career, he has had a mix of private- and public-sector stints. During 1990-1995, he was a partner at Jones Day Reavis & Pogue, now Jones Day. A former prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, he also was an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School. Lieb also clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger and for Judge Amalya Kearse of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

At Aon, he led the firm's global law department and managed its legal, compliance, regulatory and public affairs, as well as built up the legal team, the company statement said.