Knight Ridder, in the midst of sale negotiations, disclosed Friday that it has re-hired former general counsel Karen Stevenson, who will have the title of Chief Legal Officer and Assistant to the Chairman. Gordon Yamate (pictured), who has been the company’s top lawyer for the past six years, will retain the title of general counsel. Stevenson was a reporter in the 1970s at the Hayward Daily Review, Hayward Tri-Valley Herald and Valley/Pleasanton Times before she earned a law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley and embarked on a legal career. She was KR’s general counsel from August 1998 until August 2000, when she was replaced by Yamate. Most recently, she was excutive director of Legal Aid of Napa Valley. KR didn’t disclose why she was re-hired in the Securities and Exchange Commission filing released Friday. The filing said she will make $475,000 a year. [Guild reports progress in attempt to buy KR]