Busy lawyer has a lot on his plate.

• Position: People - Stefan Latorre - Biography

The law and cuisine have proved to be the right recipe for Stefan Latorre. The 39-year-old lawyer has a Charlotte practice specializing in personal-injury and workers' compensation law. He's also a budding restaurateur, with two open in downtown Charlotte, and plans to open a nightclub by the end of the year.

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Latorre comes up with the themes and decor for his restaurants and confers with his chefs about the menus. Four years ago, he opened Latorre's, which serves Latin-inspired cuisine and also is a dance club. Aquavina, an upscale seafood restaurant, opened in February. He won't reveal revenue. His latest project, a three-story nightclub, will open by Christmas.

A native of Colombia, he got a bachelor's in business at Florida International University in 1988, a law degree from Florida State University in 1991 and a master's in tax law from the University of Florida in '92. Latorre first worked in Miami, specializing in international tax law. He came to Charlotte in 1994 to join the firm of Culp Elliott & Carpenter. During his career, he has traveled to 21 countries, which provided ideas for restaurants.

In 1996, bored with tax law, he opted for a change. He set up The Law Offices of Stefan R. Latorre PA, focusing on a niche in which his ability to speak Spanish gave him an edge. "The Latin American population was blooming in Charlotte. A lot of people needed my services...