Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced last month the abrupt departure of General Counsel Amy Schulman, who will not assume the role of group president of the vaccines, oncology and consumer healthcare business as originally planned.

According to a statement by Pfizer, the departure is the result of a “mutual agreement” between Schulman and the company. It did not mention any specific reason for why Schulman stepped down from her post, or why she will not be assuming the new role that she was expected to assume at the beginning of this month.

Schulman, who served as Pfizer's general counsel since June 2008, faced a tumultuous last several months in her legal role as the company was shaken by several multi-million penalties resulting from a host of legal troubles. In March 2013, the company reached a $273 million settlement to resolve a series of cases alleging that its smoking-cessation drug Chantix triggered suicidal thoughts and other psychiatric problems in its users.

In July 2013, the company reached a $491 million settlement to resolve allegations that Wyeth, one of its subsidiaries, marketed its kidney-transplant drug Rapamune for uses unapproved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Effective Jan. 1, Pfizer named Albert Bourla as group president of the vaccines, oncology and consumer healthcare business.

Assuming the role of general counsel is Doug Lankler, formerly chief compliance and risk officer. That means Rady Johnson, formerly associate general counsel, assumes the role of chief compliance and risk officer one year earlier than expected.