Insurance giant Allstate Corp. announced it has hired a new general counsel who will eventually take over for the longtime chief legal officer next year.

Rhonda Ferguson, most recently the executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Union Pacific Railroad headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, will join Allstate in Northbrook, Illinois, as executive vice president and general counsel Sept. 28. Ferguson will replace Susie Lees, who plans to retire in 2021 after 32 years at Allstate. Lees remains chief legal officer and secretary during the transition and will focus on environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives, according to the company’s press release.