Albertsons Loses Top Lawyer Amid Challenges to Kroger Sale

Albertsons Co. is searching for a new general counsel as grocery chain seeks to close its $25 billion deal to merge with Kroger.

Juliette Pryor, the top lawyer at Idaho-based Albertsons, is leaving after three years at the company to join Lowe’s Companies, Inc., according to a Monday announcement.

Jon-Peter Kelly, the company’s senior vice president of litigation, will report to Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran and oversee legal matters related to the proposed merger, a company spokesperson said. Elena Dietrich, senior vice president of field operations and employment law, will oversee day-to-day legal matters.

The shuffling comes as the deal faces regulatory review and at least one court challenge. A federal lawsuit filed in February claims that combining the top two US supermarket chains could create a “behemoth,” that could easily raise prices and eliminate competition in some markets.

Pryor is set to join Lowe’s in May as the company’s executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. She will succeed Bill McCanless, who said he will retire from Lowe’s at the end of May.

Prior to her tenure at Albertsons, Pryor was general counsel of Cox Enterprises and chief compliance officer of US Foods. Before that, she worked at Wall Street law firm Skadden.

“Under Juliette’s leadership, the legal team expanded its capabilities, built an outstanding bench of talent, and has played an instrumental role supporting our transformation strategy,” spokesperson for Albertsons said in an email.