The Green Bay Packers have appointed Kevin Manara as their new general counsel, succeeding Ed Policy, who has been promoted to president and CEO.
Manara joins the Packers from the Arizona Cardinals, where he also served as general counsel. Bringing nearly two decades of experience, he will provide legal and strategic guidance to executives and football staff while overseeing matters such as litigation, employment, football operations, and corporate law.
Based in Wisconsin, the Packers have won four Super Bowls, including the inaugural championship in 1966 and their most recent victory in 2010. They play at Lambeau Field, which, with a capacity of over 80,000, is the second-largest stadium in the NFL.
Policy stated, “[Manara] brings a wealth of experience at both the league and team level that will be invaluable to the Packers and our overall operations. We look forward to his leadership contributions as a member of our senior staff.”
Manara joins the Packers after nearly two years with the Arizona Cardinals, where he initially served as special counsel in 2023 before becoming general counsel. Before that, he spent a year as GC for the Las Vegas Raiders.
His extensive experience includes 13 years as vice president of labor relations and policy at the NFL, where he was responsible for administering and enforcing the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association. He began his legal career in private practice as an associate in the labor and employment department at Proskauer Rose.
Policy joined the Packers in 2012 as general counsel before taking on chief operating officer duties in 2018.
Elsewhere in the U.S. sports legal landscape, Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles appointed Kamaal Jones as chief legal officer and general counsel in January, bringing him over from Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
In April 2023, the Chicago Bears—division rivals of the Packers—hired Krista Whitaker as CLO from the Miami Heat.
Meanwhile, in November 2023, the Buffalo Bills brought in Terry Gilbride as CLO following the dismissal of former general counsel Kathryn D’Angelo the previous month.
