Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Harsh Arora. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Harsh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
My firm, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, is an Am Law 100 firm driven by more than 1,000 attorneys, policy advisors, and professionals with 33 offices in 17 states and Washington, D.C. My firm’s pro bono department forges the strategic vision for our national pro bono culture, connecting attorneys to meaningful causes and cases and developing opportunities, partnerships, and training in the advancement of a just society. Using our collective expertise as litigators, transactional attorneys, and public policy advocates, we defend human and civil rights, close justice gaps, advance equity, safeguard freedom, obtain redress, and restore human dignity.
As a collective, the firm contributes tens of thousands of pro bono hours every year toward making the communities where our offices are located stronger and our justice system more accessible. This year, we have focused on advancing gender, racial, and social equity, developing affordable housing initiatives, and providing protection to individuals whose freedoms and safety have been threatened. I lead the corporate law practice at the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office and I have had the privilege of helping those that are less fortunate and unable to engage legal counsel. This year my corporate law experience in the field of commercial relations and negotiations has been put to use for non-profit organizations that are driving targeted and innovative research to end childhood cancer and those that are offering affordable and independent housing for adults with cognitive and physical disabilities utilizing public and private partnerships. I have also assisted the Legal Services of Greater Miami’s Tenants’ Equal Justice Clinic and teamed up with the Association of Corporate Counsel of South Florida to provide pro bono legal services to low-income tenants with housing needs. This has given me the opportunity to meet the most caring non-profit executives who are grateful for our help.
In Florida, we are fortunate to work with attorneys and court systems who are familiar with our pro bono efforts in affording our less fortunate clients a streamlined court process and equitable results. It is truly an honor to work at a law firm that allows pro bono opportunities where I can take what I do regularly to help non-profit organizations who would otherwise not be able to afford corporate attorneys. I am able to assist these non-profit organizations navigate complicated public and private partnership issues to avoid disputes. This requires strong advocacy for those who are not well-funded to protect themselves. It is heartwarming to witness the kindness and compassion given to these less fortunate clients by my adversaries and the support that we receive from the communities in which they are situated.
It gives me a sense of gratitude and appreciation that I can make a difference for these pro bono clients from underserved communities. My firm’s pro bono department also helps our firm’s other attorneys to find opportunities to help those that are less fortunate and provides the tools to ensure a successful result. I have advocated both within my firm and to the attorneys within the legal profession to give back to the communities that we serve by helping those that are less fortunate so that they can get access to justice.
Harsh, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
As a Partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, I assist business leaders to fuel missions, knock down barriers, and shape markets by being their corporate law advocate. My team and I work seamlessly across different industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. I also bring my personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for my clients. I particularly concentrate my legal practice on resolving partnership problems and helping with business separations for privately held companies and help board of directors and executives of public companies so that they can effectively manage risks and resolve disputes with shareholders and external partners and vendors. I focus on preventative counseling to avoid disputes from escalating and going into costly litigation or arbitration.
Business executives require a unique focus on the many ways corporate transactions and the post-business-closing relationships often fail, including cultural integration, performance incentives and metrics, joint ownership and minority owner rights and responsibilities. I have demonstrated time and again that I am able to navigate clients through even the most difficult circumstances to realize their tangible commercial objectives. I routinely assist clients in handling many different types of conflicts that arise in their businesses and guide them through the process of a business divorce. As with a personal divorce, conflicts between those who hold substantial ownership stakes in private companies can be complex, personal, and highly contentious. Adding to this complexity, there are different types of business entities. The laws regarding these different entities and their governance and operation can differ greatly. Experienced legal representation with a track record of providing clients with sound advice and strategic guidance can be invaluable in these circumstances.
Creativity and novel approaches to problem-solving infuse everything I do. As a devoted and zealous service provider, I view every matter through an acute business lens when seeking to provide innovative, yet practical, solutions that fit the needs of the broad base of my clientele. My ability to formulate multiple solutions to any given problem is indicative of my perseverance in achieving the business objectives that I am tasked to help with. My approach is to put the business concerns first and using the law as a tool, rather than vice versa. This has been my approach since I started practicing law as law is my second career. I was actively involved in operations and management in the hospitality, healthcare, and real estate industries prior to becoming a lawyer. This has helped me to continue to think like business executives and innovatively work as an advocate who understands the non-legal perspective when representing businesses in their most difficult time.
As an effective negotiator, I have an innate ability to read people which enables me to identify their motivation in any given situation. This keeps me diligently focused on ensuring that each business transaction or dispute resolution strategy aligns with my clients’ financial and operational goals. I find mutually beneficial solutions to even the most divergent positions and seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
I do not lose sight of my clients’ objectives and consistently work hard to maintain productive communication while steadfastly advocating for my clients. As a collaborator and bridge builder, my approach to deal-making and fair negotiations is appreciated by my clients, colleagues, and deal constituents alike; as I strive to be personable and remain an active listener with a focus on efficiency and forward momentum.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I bring in empathy in the way I practice law to be able to hear and understand the other side’s argument or position even or perhaps when it is challenging to do so. Businesses and their executives need seasoned legal professionals who can help them resolve difficult controversies or transactions so that deals can be made and when the stakes are high, empathy and humility go a long way in achieving resolution. I have built my reputation on being a fair negotiator and a deal maker in difficult and complex corporate transactions and related disputes.
I prefer to resolve corporate controversies or disagreements by inviting a proposal to make a deal early on rather than prolonging the dispute or disagreement, which generally widens the gap between the positions held by the parties. Good business lawyers help clients engage in practical solutions by finding common ground with adversaries. As I thoroughly study the complexity of each business controversy to propose a reasonable and practical transaction, it becomes evident to adversaries that a restructured transaction may result in a win-win for both sides, rather than engaging in litigation or arbitration, which will require a resolution at the end of a case with more costs for both sides. Most civil controversies end up settling; but if early advocacy results in a fair and early resolution, then parties are able to salvage their business relationships and be in a position to consider working with each other again with better safeguards in place. Most big and small companies get into corporate controversies due to contractual ambiguity or poorly written terms. I maintain a reputation to showcase that early resolution through intelligent understanding of the facts at issue and the law gives all parties an opportunity to conduct a cost-benefit analysis early on and reach an early settlement if it makes good business sense for everyone involved.
Due to the complexity of the business relationships and related controversies, an early proposal to settle can be sometimes seen as a sign of weakness. Business executives need a strong advocate who has a clear understanding of the business objectives and solid experience with managing the dispute resolution process through legal means. Not every client or adversary prefers the dispute resolution and disagreement to be handled the same way. Since there is no cookie cutter approach to early resolution, I carefully craft the strategy on dispute resolution as my first task rather than it being the last task for each case to assure that negotiation for each case is being done with best intentions and keeping clients’ objectives in mind. This approach has given me the ability to service clients and handle adversaries in a productive manner to assure that those whom I work for and with whom I am working with, appreciate the fairness and integrity that I bring to the table.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I have stayed involved in local and statewide community organizations to give back to the residents and other legal professionals and that has been one of the most effective strategies for growing my client base. My community involvement was for reasons other than to generate clients. I became a lawyer to solve difficult commercial problems and to lead the change within our local and statewide community. I have remained grateful for the opportunities that I have received from our community to grow, make friends, and raise my family. This has also motivated me to champion the causes of inclusion and advancement for women and minority attorneys as well as business entrepreneurs through leading mentorship programs and educational programming. This community focused engagement has benefited me by putting me in front of those that can benefit from my help or know of someone else who I can assist.
As a corporate lawyer, who focuses on fixing difficult transactions to avoid disputes, I get called upon in mostly difficult situations. My task is generally to fix complex problems. I do not shy away from offering innovative strategies such as early faith-based mediations to resolve business disputes- which are not commonly used in corporate controversies. These techniques are not effective for each controversy, but if the parties consent after consulting with their attorneys, and if it is the right approach, then the parties can benefit and save a lot of money by avoiding protracted litigation or arbitration. My innovative and result-oriented approach in the field of business law and building on my relationships with adversaries of respect and fairness, have given me opportunities which have been presented to me by my clients, adversaries, and their friends and families. I have remained grateful for these opportunities and have not seen them as strategies to grow my client base. If this can be seen as a strategy, then what has worked for me is being true to who I am and how I prefer to practice law with respect for all who are involved, and that mindset has been successful for me so far.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nelsonmullins.com/professionals/harsh-arora#main
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harsh-arora-esq
Image Credits
Heather Coronel Photography and Alison Frank Photography