The top attorney for Diablo publisher Blizzard Entertainment has stepped down. In a post on her LinkedIn account, chief legal officer Claire Hart announced she left the company on Friday, September 17. This comes as Activision Blizzard faces increasing scrutiny from both state and federal regulators.
“After more than three years at Blizzard Entertainment, I have decided to move on to my next adventure,” Hart wrote on LinkedIn. “Friday was my last day.”
I reached out to Activision, which confirmed the resignation.
“We can confirm that Claire Hart has left Blizzard to pursue other opportunities,” an Activision spokesperson told GamesBeat. “We’re grateful for her more than three years of service, and we wish her well.”
Activision Blizzard was already facing a civil lawsuit in the state of California for its alleged mistreatment of employees under the Blizzard label. California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing is investigating reports that Blizzard underpaid women and created a toxic work environment.
Then, yesterday, a report revealed that the Securities and Exchanges Commission is bringing its own investigation into Activision. Specifically, the SEC is looking to see if Bobby Kotick and other executives hid complaints of sexual harassment from investors.
Hart did not cite any of these investigations as a reason for her departure. But she did note that she is not going directly into a new position.
“I’ll be taking a short break before making my next move,” reads her post.
Activision Blizzard is already working with the law firm WilmerHale in its battle with regulators. WilmerHale is notorious for its alleged union-busting efforts at companies like Amazon.