Louise Parent, general counsel of American Express for the past 20 years, is joining Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton as of counsel next year. American Express earlier this year announced Parent planned to retire from the financial services company. It has not yet named a successor, and she will be at the company in the interim, said company spokeswoman Marina Norville.

Cleary managing partner Mark Leddy said she will likely join the firm by April 1.