Lunch with a VIP - Manny Arora, Arora and LaScala
Michael J. Pallerino
April 1, 2008
The Restaurant: McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant
Manny Arora calls it the "Five-minute" rule. Some of the best advice an attorney can give a
client is this: When you make a decision, think about what the consequences will be five minutes
from now.
Arora admits his advice isn't rocket science, even though it comes from one of the
Southeast's most noted criminal defense attorneys who just happens to hold a nuclear engineering
degree from Georgia Tech.
Arora is way past smart. After serving as one of the top prosecutors for the U.S. Air Force
(where he still holds the rank of Major in the reserves), Arora joined the Fulton County District
Attorney's office in 1998. Working in the major crimes (homicide) division, he represented a number
of clients involved in everything from felony murder charges to death penalty cases.
After that, he became a partner at Garland, Samuel & Loeb, where he represented such
high-profile clients as former Atlanta Thrasher Dany Heatley; Dr. Phil Astin (the doctor of
professional wrestler Chris Benoit); and Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.
It was Pacman, the oft-troubled and much-maligned cornerback, who became Arora's first sports
agent client. Arora's deft handling of Jones' mishaps – with an emphasis on the "s" – helped raise
his stock among athletes, and his intrigue for representing them. After delving into Jones' legal
woes during what seemed like a full-time basis, Arora surmised adding the services of a sports
agent was a practical, if not eventually lucrative, use of his time.
Just ask the folks at 680 The Fan. After station owner David Dickey invited Arora to serve as
an on-air expert on as "as-needed" basis, the blurred lines between sports and law blew up, making
Arora a regular guest on the morning and afternoon shows. From Pacman and Michael Vick to the Roger
Clemens and Barry Bonds steroid follies, Arora's intuitive, intelligent and witty demeanor has made
him a local celebrity – complete with Perry Mason theme song (thanks, 680's The Rude
Awakening).
"The publicity has been great," he says. "My goal is to be ‘the guy' in Atlanta – the person
an athlete will want to turn to. I wish I could have been doing this last year when Calvin
[Johnson, former Tech wide receiver and first-round pick of the Detroit Lions] was turning pro. As
a Tech grad, that would have been great."
Today, Arora is looking to find the next Calvin. His game plan is to stay active in the law
firm he started this past June, Arora & LaScala, as well as pick up more athletes. The strategy
will involve handling no more than 10 athletes, including football, baseball and tennis (the latter
sport being his favorite).
His most pressing business on the agent side is getting Pacman back into the NFL. "He's an
athlete who has a good side that nobody sees," Arora says. "When you spend enough time with these
athletes, you see their human side. Pacman doesn't have all those [bad influences] around him
anymore. He just has me – one voice. And that will make all the difference."
About the Restaurant
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant is a leading national seafood restaurant in the
affordable upscale dining segment. The twice- daily printed menu typically contains between 85 and
110 made-to-order dishes, including an extensive selection of international, national, regional and
local species of seafood. Each restaurant's chef contributes to the menu's unique and imaginative
appeal by creating dishes tailored to regional tastes and their own talents. The restaurants are
renowned for full-service bars that feature quality liquors and wines, and a wide selection
of beers. The combination of the restaurant atmosphere, extensive menu offering and a range of
price points appeals to a diverse customer base from casual diners, families and tourists, to
business travelers and special occasion diners.
McCormick & Schmick's, CNN Center, 190 Marietta St. Atlanta, GA, 30303, 404-521-1236,
www.mccormickandschmicks.com.