Randolph Braccialarghe has been a professor of law at NSU’s Shepard Broad Law Center since 1983 and a lawyer for 35 years. He practices administrative law, representing lawyers who get in trouble with the Florida Bar, along with lawyers from other states who are trying to be gain Florida Bar certification.
Braccialarghe was born in New York City, but was raised in Recife, Brazil where his father was the Italian Vice Consul and his mother worked for the American State Department. After his parents separated, Braccialarghe moved with his mother and brother to central Illinios, where he developed his interest in becoming a lawyer due to a city dispute.
His local government decided to widen a road, which would require removing part of residential front lawns. According to Braccialarghe, residents did not have a say in the decision, which he felt was wrong. He felt that the people temporarily in charge of city or state government should not have had the power to take away a person’s property.
“That was the first memory I have of wanting to be a lawyer, because I thought lawyers could stop stuff like that,” said Braccialarghe.
After graduating high school, Braccialarghe attended the University of Michigan, majoring in history. He next moved to Massachusetts and taught English as a second language, before deciding to continue his education at the University Of Miami School of Law, which he graduated from in 1977.
In law school, he was taught economics by Henry Manne, who, according to Braccialarghe, is widely considered one of the founders of the law and economics discipline in the U.S., and James Buchanan, who won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1986. Braccialarghe found that the economics courses were most effective in teaching lawyers to think logically and clearly, which are vital skills for the profession.
Braccialarghe said that he was impressed by the lessons on logical analysis, which NSU law professors now teach their students.
“In law school, we try to teach our students to think with their heads, not their hearts. Economics really enforces that,” said Braccialarghe.
After law school, Braccialarghe worked as a prosecutor, learning how to try cases in court. Because his academic training had included commercial courses — such as commercial law, securities and corporate tax — he also worked in a firm as a commercial litigator, representing banks and businesses.
Braccialarghe started out at NSU as an adjunct professor, teaching students how to try cases. His colleagues soon recommended that he apply for a full-time position.
“I thought I would just teach for a year and then go back to practicing law, but teaching was a very interesting experience and the most fun thing I have ever done,” said Braccialarghe.
In 2011, Braccialarghe was appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott as commissioner in the state’s Uniform Law Commission, an organization in every state that aims to enact uniform law that could be applicable to all the states. The commission is made up of legislators, judges, lawyers and professors.
Braccialarghe said that he feels humbled to be in a committee composed of such intelligent professionals.
“I went to a conference this last summer and was among the smartest group of people I have ever been around. I was truly impressed by how hard-working and brilliant these people, who have been appointed, are,” said Braccialarghe.
For students interested in attending law school, Braccialarghe recommended they read “Whose Monet?” by John Humbach, which teaches the rules of civil procedure, and “Economics in One Lesson” by Henry Hazlitt, which aims to teach students to realize that law is about fair procedures, not results.
“I think reading these books before law school will allow students to have a pretty good frame of reference,” said Braccialarghe.
Braccialarghe teaches Professional Responsibility and Evidence and tries to bring his experience as a lawyer into the classroom. He said that his practical experience helps immensely, especially in teaching students the rules that apply to lawyers in everyday practice.
“It is important to give the students a frame of reference because a lawyer needs to know an ethical issue, recognize it as an ethical issue and know what the rules are. If they don’t know the proper rules, it can jeopardize their clients and the practice,” said Braccialarghe.
