It’s been seven months since News Corp made the startling announcement that one of Rupert Murdoch’s closest allies, Lawrence Jacobs, would be stepping down as general counsel “to pursue new opportunities.” It was widely believed that Jacobs chafed at the presence of Joel Klein, who become a Murdoch confidant after a career in which he ran the Justice Department’s antitrust unit and New York City’s school system. Since Jacobs left, News Corp’s chief lawyer job has become much tougher with multiple investigations into the News Of The World hacking scandal. But with Gerson Zweifach, Murdoch has nabbed a well known and respected specialist in antifrust and First Amendment issues, with a client list that has included the National Enquirer and former New York Stock Exchange chief Richard Grasso. News International subsidiary board menber Janet Nova has been serving as interim general counsel since Jacobs left.