General Motors Co.'s self-driving vehicle subsidiary Cruise is placing a prominent former Big Law attorney and diplomat behind the wheel of its legal department. 

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. board chairman Jeff Bleich has served as a partner at Dentons, as a U.S. ambassador to Australia and as special counsel to President Barack Obama. Now, he's taking over as chief legal officer at Cruise, effective May 4. 

The San Francisco-based startup, which has a $19 billion valuation and financial backing from SoftBank Group Corp., announced Bleich's appointment Tuesday in a Twitter post. Bleich will be helping Cruise navigate regulatory obstacles that lie ahead for it and other autonomous vehicle companies.