NORMAN TRIPP AND EDWARD POZZUOLI, J.D. ’87
Law Firm Creates Scholarship to Benefit Students from Broward County By MichelleValencia
MI A MI LAW maga zine | F AL L 2 015
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orman Tripp and Edward Pozzuoli, J.D. ’87, directors at the Fort Lauderdale law firm of Tripp Scott LLP, have several things in common. They are both committed to education and serving the community, they are both graduates of the University of Miami and members of Iron Arrow Honor Society, and now they have taken their commitment to their alma mater one step further by creating the Tripp Scott Endowed Scholarship at Miami Law. “We have a great connection and great experience with the University of Miami, and this is our way to give back to what we think is the premier law school and university in South Florida,” said Pozzuoli, who is a double ’Cane and served as Chief of Iron Arrow. The Dean of the Law School will select the Tripp Scott Scholar; preference will be given to students from Broward County who received their undergraduate degree at UM and have demonstrated leadership and expressed an interest in practicing law in Broward County. The current student recipient of the Tripp Scott Scholarship is 3L Demi Halmoukos, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is a member of the Business Law Review and the Entertainment & Sports Law Society, and recently interned at the State Attorney’s Office in Broward County. Tripp, who received his
undergraduate degree from UM in 1962, founded the law firm in 1969. A well-known community activist, he is dedicated to improving government, education, and diversity. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Florida Atlantic University, a trustee at the University of Miami, and chair and vice-chair of the State of Florida Board of Community Colleges. He currently serves on the Board of Governors that operates Florida’s university system. Tripp has fond memories of his time at UM. “It was a great opportunity for me—not only did I go to school there but I got involved in the original ‘Singing Hurricanes’ under Glenn Draper, who took over the choral program at the School of Music. He was looking for anyone who had a good voice, so I joined the chorus. He took the ‘Singing Hurricanes’ to Europe, where we sang in all the military bases. It was quite a group.” Pozzuoli received his B.B.A. degree from UM and attended the night division of Miami Law in the mid-80s. He graduated in 1987. “I worked during the day.That was a way I could afford law school, simply put,” he said. An accomplished educational and commercial litigator, Pozzuoli is president of Tripp Scott. He, too, is
devoted to making a difference in the community. He was chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of South Florida and is past chairman of the Republican Party of Broward County. He sits on the board of advisors of the Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad College of Law and was the immediate past vice chair of the board of trustees for the Pine Crest Preparatory School. Pozzuoli is also heavily involved with Charter Schools USA, which is the largest charter school management company in the country. “Norman and I share the same commitment—not just to practice law in what we consider the right way—but also being committed to our community,” said Pozzuoli. “We believe it’s important to provide an opportunity for a young student.We both went to law school at night because it was affordable. And so we understand the expense of a quality education, especially at the law school level, and we think it’s a great investment in someone to provide them with a little help along the way.” The first Tripp Scott Scholarship will be awarded in the fall of 2015. “From my point of view, scholarships make college affordable; it gives people access to education,” said Tripp.