Lawyer gets himself in slippery business.

• Position: People - Jim Cain of the Carolina Hurricanes - Brief Article

Jim Cain wasn't raised on pucks and ice skates. Growing up in High Point, he played the same sports most kids did: basketball, football and baseball. Cain is, however, an opportunist. So when the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League announced the club would move to the Triangle in 1997 to become the Carolina Hurricanes, he got busy.

A Raleigh lawyer with experience in real-estate development, Cain started e-mailing the team's attorneys legal advice. He was confident he could help the Hurricanes navigate the complicated construction of its eventual home, the $167 million Entertainment and Sports Arena. "Within a month or two, they decided they needed local counsel and called me. There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of an opportunity."

In February 2000, Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos hired him as president and chief operating officer of the Triangle's only major-league franchise. "He decided he needed somebody who knew the community, who knew the market."

While Cain, 44, is not directly involved with decisions affecting players, he's the first to admit it's an odd position for someone who long knew more about jump shots than slap shots. "I grew up an avid ACC basketball fan" -- particularly Wake Forest, where he earned bachelor's and law degrees. "But it just so happened the NHL was the right league for this market."

Those who knew Cain in college might be surprised that he's still not in politics. After earning a bachelor's in...