Altria Group General Counsel Denise Keane will retire on 1 July after 40 years of service, the company said. Her successor will be Deputy General Counsel Murray Garnick.

Garnick, 57, joined Altria in 2008. "Denise has successfully led the company through many challenging legal issues and litigation in many significant cases. She also served as a role model to our employees,” said Chief Executive Officer Marty Barrington.