Image caption RIM has struggled to compete with rivals like Apple in recent years

Blackberry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) says chief legal officer Karima Bawa has resigned.

It is the latest in a series of departures from the struggling Canadian smartphone maker.

Last week the head of global sales, Patrick Spence, stepped down.

In response to falling market share and strategic and operational blunders, co-chief executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie resigned in January and Thorsten Heins took over.

The problems included a loss of service for users of RIM's Blackberry devices in October last year.

Customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa could not access their emails, internet and instant messaging service.

The company has also been losing market share to rivals like Apple.

Ms Bawa had been at RIM for 12 years and the company said she had been discussing her retirement for quite some time.

On Saturday a report in Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper said RIM is preparing for a major reorganisation that will see at least 2,000 job losses.