The general counsel moves that most grabbed readers in November were notable for their highly unusual aspects.

For example, on Nov. 6, Discover announced it had hired former U.S. Department of Commerce General Counsel Kelly Welsh as interim chief legal officer—a role the company felt compelled to fill because its planned $35 billion sale to Capital One remains bogged down in regulatory scrutiny. The legal chief at the time, Hope Mehlman, who in September agreed to become legal chief of Ally Financial, had delayed her start date there as long as she could.