Apple sought advice from HP's legal expert

Larry Sonsini is the lead partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. According to the The Recorder, a San Francisco-based legal newspaper, Apple's former general counsel, Nancy Heinen, discussed the the $7.5 million grant that's now being looked at by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the US Attorney's office.

This is because to sort out the package, Apple had to fake a board meeting to approve it.

For those who came in late, Sonsini was also the lawyer who advised the maker of printer ink, HP when the board was trying to make up its mind about spying on board members. While he didn't advocate the spying himself, he did give some slightly unusual advice in the aftermath. This included claiming that pretexting to obtain the phone records was "well done and within legal limits."

HP has since said it would replace Sonsini as outside counsel after he and his firm were thrust into an unfavourable spotlight after the incident. We wonder if Apple is considering consulting the most sought after lawyer in Silicon Valley in the future too.

More here. µ