Stephen Gates took the helm as general counsel and senior vice president�legal at Houston-based ConocoPhillips Company in May. He succeeds Rick Harrington, who is retiring after 24 years with the company.

Gates was executive vice president and group chief of staff at Amoco Corporation (now BP p.l.c.) for 23 years. Most recently he’s been a partner at Chicago’s Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.