Apple's legal guru departs

Apple's top lawyer has left the company, in the third high-ranking departure from the Mac maker in recent months.

The company on Monday confirmed the departure of general counsel Nancy Heinen, who was its highest-ranking female executive, but did not say when she left, or why.

A company spokesman said: "Nancy Heinen is no longer an Apple employee. We've already begun the search for a [new] general counsel. In the interim, Peter Oppenheimer, our chief financial officer, will oversee Apple's legal department."

Heinen's exit follows that of iPod division chief and long-time hardware executive Jon Rubinstein, as well as the departure of chief software technology officer Avie Tevanian. Tevanian on Monday joined the board of directors of voice portal company Tellme Networks.

Word of Heinen's departure comes just as Apple scored a major victory in a UK court, with a judge ruling that Apple can keep using the Apple logo in conjunction with its iTunes Music Store.

Heinen's departure was reported on Friday on Apple enthusiast site Apple Insider.

Ina Fried writes for CNET News.com