Facebook's former top lawyer to lead Etsy's legal team

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Facebook General Counsel Colin Stretch appears before the House Intelligence Committee to answer questions related to Russian use of social media to influence U.S. elections, on Capitol Hill in Washington
Facebook General Counsel Colin Stretch appears before the House Intelligence Committee to answer questions related to Russian use of social media to influence U.S. elections, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 1, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein
  • Ex-Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch joins e-commerce company Etsy
  • Stretch most recently worked at law firm Latham & Watkins and taught at Columbia University

(Reuters) - Online marketplace Etsy Inc said Thursday that Colin Stretch, the former general counsel of Facebook, will join the company as its top lawyer effective Feb. 14.

Stretch will serve as Brooklyn, New York-based Etsy's chief legal officer and corporate secretary. He worked for about six years as the top lawyer at Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms Inc, until 2019.

He most recently became of counsel at law firm Latham & Watkins in August. A firm spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At Etsy, Stretch replaces Jill Simeone as legal chief. An Etsy spokesperson said Simeone moved to an advisory role in order to spend more time with her family and that she continues to support the company's legal department and will help with the transition.

Stretch said in a statement that the e-commerce company "has a strong reputation as not only a prospering business but as a leader in the advocacy space." The spokesperson said he was not available for additional comment.

As Facebook's general counsel, Stretch testified before Congress in high-profile hearings in 2017 as the U.S. investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

After leaving in 2019, he began lecturing at Columbia University's law and business schools.

Etsy, founded in 2005, is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items.

"Colin's extensive experience will be critical to Etsy's efforts to ensure we remain a safe and trusted marketplace, broaden our reach across all our brands, and advocate for microbusinesses around the world," Etsy CEO Josh Silverman said in a statement.

Read more:

Facebook's former top lawyer jumps to international law firm Latham & Watkins

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Sara Merken reports on privacy and data security, as well as the business of law, including legal innovation and key players in the legal services industry. Reach her at sara.merken@thomsonreuters.com

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