In Light of United's Overbooking Fiasco, Who's Leading the Legal Department?
Brett Hart, general counsel of United Airlines, will likely play a pivotal role in the company's response to a recent scandal.
April 12, 2017 at 01:00 PM
3 minute read
United Airlines Inc. continues to face criticism Wednesday related to videos showing a passenger being dragged off one of its flights after the passenger was asked to give up his seat and he refused to leave.
With customers threatening to boycott the airline, lawmakers questioning the incident and the U.S. Department of Transportation “reviewing” whether the airline complied with oversales rules, there's no doubt that the legal department is wrapped up in managing the company's legal and reputational risks right now.
At the center of United's legal department is executive vice president and general counsel Brett Hart. The company has relied heavily on Hart since he joined in 2010 as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. In 2015, for instance, when CEO Oscar Munoz suffered a heart attack and went on medical leave, Hart stepped in as acting CEO.
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