BlackBerry maker Research In Motion said that its chief legal officer is retiring from the company after 12 years.

RIM said that Karima Bawa had been in discussions about her retirement for some time and plans to stay on to help with the transition once a replacement has been hired.

The once iconic BlackBerry company is facing its most difficult period in its history. RIM is working on launching a new software operating system just as North Americans are abandoning their BlackBerry's for Apple's iPhone and smart phones that run Google's Android software.

The latest departure also comes as RIM is reportedly about to announce a restructuring that could result in thousands of job cuts. The Globe and Mail, citing people close to the company that it didn't identify, reported RIM will soon announce at least 2,000 layoffs.