A method of assembling a semiconductor device includes providing a lead frame having a die pad and a fame member with lead fingers that surround the die pad. The lead fingers have distal ends connected to the frame member and proximal ends near the die pad. A die is attached to the die pad and die connection pads are electrically connected to the proximal ends of the lead fingers with bond wires. The die, bond wires, and part of the lead fingers are encapsulated with an encapsulant. The encapsulating process includes separating the lead fingers into first and second sets of lead fingers. The proximal ends of the first set lie in a first plane and the proximal ends of the second set lie in a second plane that is spaced and maintained from the first plane solely by the encapsulation material.