Is it safe to go into work at the law department? Wellpoint Inc., the nation’s second-largest health insurer, abruptly fired general counsel John Cannon last week. His last day is March 3.

Wellpoint is the second major company in recent months to dismiss its general counsel in a surprise move. In December, Pfizer Inc. announced that its GC, Amy Schulman, was leaving immediately—despite being set to become president of a new Pfizer division on January 1.