NSU Horizons Spring 2013

36 HORIZONS Two years ago, Paul G. Finizio, J.D., 1983, and Jamie Finizio Bascombe, J.D., 1993, were admitted to practice be- fore the United States Supreme Court. The brother and sister lawyers were two of 41 Shepard Broad Law Center alumni sworn in to the bar of the nation’s highest court during ceremonies held in Washington, D.C., in a program orga- nized by the NSU Law Center. “We stood before the nine justices of the Supreme Court. It was truly an honor, and it was another thing that made me proud to be a Nova Southeast- ern University alumna,” said Bascombe. The two Broward County lawyers, found- ers and principals of the Law Offices of Finizio & Finizio, P.A., in Fort Lauderdale, believe that their experiences at NSU, both while they were students and now as alumni, have shaped the way they practice law. NSU has also been a part of their lives, and that of their family’s, for as long as they can remember. A friendship between their father, Americo (Rick) Finizio, who served as head of court deputies for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and Abraham S. Fischler, Ed.D., NSU’s second president, instilled in them an early commit- ment to NSU. “When I was very young, my father would take us to NSU. He was one of their biggest cheerleaders because he felt that the university was a good and necessary addition to the quality of life in Broward County. He was an avid supporter of education and a huge believer in higher education,” said Bascombe. Both Finizio and Bascombe serve on the President’s Advisory Council. “The bond we have with NSU can be credit- ed to our father,” said Finizio. “He always taught us that one of the most important things you can do as an adult is to give back to the place that gave you the opportunities you have today.” Through scholarships, internships, and by serv- ing on the NSU Law Cen- ter’s Board of Governors, Finizio and Bascombe are firm believers in making a difference in the lives of NSU law students. “I had supervising attorneys when I was at NSU who taught me so much,” said Bascombe. “The strength of the NSU Law Center’s program is that future lawyers learn through hands-on experi- ence with great mentors and in facilities that pre- pare law students for the real world. These were the resources that were given to me, and that I want to share in some way with others now.” Bascombe added that, even before she graduated, she was trying cases for the Florida Attorney General’s Office as part of NSU’s Certified Legal Interns (CLI) program. For the past 20 years, the Law Offices of Finizio & Finizio has hosted interns from NSU. “Our interns work Law in the Family BY MICHELLE F. SOLOMON ALUMNI PROFILE Alumni Paul G. Finizio and Jamie Finizio Bascombe are founders and principals of their own law firm.