10 AECOM legal leaders
Manav Kumar, Chief Legal Officer at AECOM, is one of ten AECOM legal leaders listed here, alongside a senior vice president and deputy general counsel, vice presidents and assistant general counsels, a region chief counsel and a vice president of legal. A reader can learn how legal leaders work at AECOM from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Christopher Perez
LinkedInExperience: Vice President and Assistant General Counsel · AECOM
Christopher Perez has been Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at AECOM since October 2025, based in the Los Angeles area, and was Associate Vice President and Assistant General Counsel there from 2020 to 2025 and Senior Counsel from 2017 to 2020. Christopher Perez was Senior Counsel at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP from 2007 to 2017.
Donald K Blackwell
LinkedInExperience: Corporate Vice President Assistant General Counsel Global Project Risk Management · AECOM
Donald K Blackwell has been Corporate Vice President Assistant General Counsel Global Project Risk Management at AECOM since January 2023, based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Donald K Blackwell was Senior Corporate Counsel at Stantec from 2015 to 2023, General Counsel at Gensler from 2013 to 2015, and Associate General Counsel - Corporate Secretary - Vice President at MWH from 2007 to 2013.
Isabel C.
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel · AECOM
Isabel C. has been Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at AECOM since January 2023, based in Dallas, with a headline naming Labor & Employment, and was Vice President, Assistant General Counsel there from 2021 to 2023. Isabel C. was a Partner at DLA Piper from 2018 to 2021 and at Andrews Kurth Kenyon from 2012 to 2018.
John J. DiChello
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Region Chief Counsel - U.S. East · AECOM
John J. DiChello has been Vice President, Region Chief Counsel - U.S. East at AECOM since July 2025, based in Greater Philadelphia, and the profile says the role leads a team of attorneys and legal professionals supporting 9,000+ employees. John J. DiChello was Vice President, Chief Counsel - Environment Americas at AECOM from 2017 to 2025 and a Partner at Blank Rome LLP from 2012 to 2016.
Lisa Lesser
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel · AECOM
Lisa Lesser has been Assistant General Counsel at AECOM since September 2020, based in Wayne, New Jersey, with a headline of Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at AECOM, and was Senior Project Counsel at AECOM Tishman in 2020. Lisa Lesser was General Counsel at Dobco, Inc. from 2011 to 2020 and a Partner at Peckar & Abramson, P.C. from 1998 to 2011.
Mariana Zarate
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Legal · AECOM
Mariana Zarate has been Vice President Legal at AECOM since October 2024, based in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale Area, with a headline of Vice President - Assistant General Counsel. Mariana Zarate was DCS Americas and Canada Senior Ethics and Compliance Counsel at AECOM from 2023 to 2024 and Senior Regional Chief Counsel for Latin America there from 2018 to 2023.
Matt Renna
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel · AECOM
Matt Renna has been Assistant General Counsel at AECOM since October 2025, based in Boston, and was Senior Counsel there from 2023 to 2025. The profile says Matt Renna serves as Assistant General Counsel for AECOM's East Region and works with operations and senior management on legal risks and contract negotiations, and Matt Renna was Assistant General Counsel at The Middlesex Corporation from 2022 to 2023.
Raina Richter
LinkedInExperience: Associate Vice President, Assistant General Counsel · AECOM
Raina Richter has been Associate Vice President, Assistant General Counsel at AECOM since March 2023, based in the Los Angeles area. Raina Richter was Of Counsel at Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) from 2022 to 2023, a Deputy Attorney at Caltrans from 2021 to 2022, and Construction and Commercial Litigation and Risk Management Counsel at Troutman Pepper from 2017 to 2021.
Sarah Carson
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel: Design + Consulting Services Americas - Federal Division · AECOM
Sarah Carson has been Assistant General Counsel: Design + Consulting Services Americas - Federal Division at AECOM since October 2025, based in the Raleigh-Durham area, and was Senior Counsel in the same division from 2023 to 2025. Sarah Carson was a Partner at Smith Currie Oles LLP from 2018 to 2023 and Senior Legal Counsel there from 2012 to 2018.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's legal focus, such as project risk, employment, a region or a business line, to the question you bring. Check when each person started the current role to judge how recent their view is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current legal role?
- 02How do you decide which project risks a contract can carry and which need a different deal structure?
- 03What has your own work taught you about advising engineers and project managers on legal risk?
Reaching AECOM legal leaders
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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