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Krieg DeVault LLP
Nicole Finelli started her career not as an attorney but as an economic and financial consultant at Arthur Andersen and later KPMG. “My group was hired to value intangible assets for litigation purposes, and I found myself more interested in the legal side than the numbers,” Finelli said. “I decided to try law school while working part-time, and that confirmed to me that finance law was a good fit.” She’s spent her entire legal career at Krieg DeVault, where she focuses on lending transactions, including real estate, construction, commercial, aircraft, tax credits, bond collateralization and a variety of other areas. “I enjoy working on nonprofit projects and tax credit transactions that help people with lower incomes or low-income areas,” she said. “Those are the ones that make me feel good at night.”
Givebacks: member, past chair and volunteer, Catholic Charities; board member and volunteer, Good Samaritan of Hamilton County; former board member and volunteer, Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton County; volunteer for Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza; mentor, Krieg DeVault and Executive Women in Finance
First job: Lifeguard. “That same summer I also worked at a cabinet factory,” Finelli said. “The people were great, but the work was not nearly as much fun.”
Important traits: “Beyond knowledge and experience, I think resiliency and an even temperament are paramount. The legal profession will come with challenges, and it’s important to keep moving forward with a clear mind and positive attitude.”
Mentors: “I have had several mentors, and the common thread is that they all valued and nurtured relationships with clients, colleagues, staff and, most importantly, family.”
Advice: “Work hard and raise your hand for the projects others don’t want to do,” Finelli said. “It may be frustrating at first and a hard way to learn, but you will gain confidence and a skillset others won’t have.”
Favorite de-stressors: “Sitting in the water, whether it’s the ocean, a lake, or even a pool, instantly lowers my stress level.”•
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