Disney’s board in December decided to send a resounding signal to General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez that he was doing a great job. So the Burbank, California-based company gave him a contract extension, a raise, and changed his title to chief legal officer.

The media giant is far from alone these days in ditching the general counsel title for the loftier-sounding chief legal officer. Often, when a GC retires or departs for another company, the replacement walks in as CLO.