HP legal eagle falls on her sword

HP general counsel Ann Baskins has resigned, the company announced on Thursday.

The move comes hours before HP executives are scheduled to testify before a Congress subcommittee in an investigation into a spying campaign to probe leaks to the media.

Baskins, who spent much of her legal career with the company, also served as secretary for its board of directors and has come under scrutiny for her role in the leak investigation.

CEO Mark Hurd said in a press release regarding Baskins: "She has admirably supported our business needs across the globe and will be missed. Stepping down was a very hard decision for her but by doing so she has put the interests of HP above her own, and that is to be commended."

HP has acknowledged it accessed phone records of board members and journalists, including silicon.com sister site CNET News.com reporters, as part of its leak probe. The company has also followed reporters and tried to trace emails in an effort to track down the source of leaks from the board of directors.

The scandal has already cost the jobs of chairwoman Patricia Dunn and two other employees.

Margaret Kane writes for CNET News.com