The Hershey Co. announced yesterday that Leslie M. Turner will take over as head of the company’s legal department.

In her new role as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, Turner will lead the chocolate company’s legal, government relations and corporate secretary functions. Turner takes over as GC on July 9 and will report to Hershey CEO John P. Bilbrey.

"Leslie has significant experience working closely with corporate governance matters and brings a broad business orientation and diverse global background to this role," Bilbrey said in a press release. "She has a proven record partnering with leaders and business units to drive strong results, and she is adept at aligning legal strategy with strategic objectives and building collaborative, business-focused legal teams."

Turner joins the Hershey family from another much-loved sugary company, Coca-Cola North America, where she served as Chief Legal Officer since 2008. Prior to joining Coke, she was a partner at Akin Gump and had served in various government positions. Turner brings 25 years of legal experience to her new position.

"I am excited to join Hershey and look forward to the opportunity to support some of the world's best-known and beloved brands," Turner said. "Hershey has a long record of ethical leadership and a strong company reputation, reflecting more than a century of doing well by doing good in the communities where the company operates its businesses. I look forward to being part of the team that will continue to drive Hershey's long-term global success."

In addition to her new GC role, Turner will also serve on Hershey’s global leadership team.

Turner joins only 105 other women who serve as general counsel of Fortune 500 companies. Read about InsideCounsel’s Project 5/165 endeavoring to reach the day when one-third—or 165—of Fortune 500 general counsel are women.