Leonard K. Lucenko, Jr.: Helping People, Giving Back

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As a first generation Ukranian-American growing up in New Jersey, Leonard K. Lucenko, Jr. always knew he wanted to help people."
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olympia attorney
As a first generation Ukranian-American growing up in New Jersey, Leonard K. Lucenko, Jr. always knew he wanted to help people.

As a first generation Ukranian-American growing up in New Jersey, Leonard K. Lucenko, Jr. always knew he wanted to help people.

Lucenko’s parents immigrated to the United States when they were just children. “They came here with nothing,” says Lucenko. Taking full advantage of the opportunities available to them in their new country, Lucenko’s parents learned the language, went to college, and worked hard to become successful.

Because of this, education was a big part of Lucenko’s upbringing. In addition to his regular studies, Lucenko was also involved in Plast (the Ukrainian equivalent of Boy Scouts) and attended Saturday Ukrainian school where he learned the customs, language and history of his Ukrainian culture.

As Lucenko approached college age, he began to consider what type of career he wanted to have, always coming back to the same thing: helping people.

“I always wanted to help people,” says Lucenko. “I thought if I became an attorney it would really afford me that opportunity.”

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware in 1990, Lucenko packed his bags and headed south to Florida to study law.

While working toward a Juris Doctorate degree at the Nova Southeastern University School of Law in Fort Lauderdale, Lucenko landed an internship at the Broward County Public Defender’s Office. Here, Lucenko received his first taste of criminal law.

After graduating in 1995, Lucenko went on to serve as an Assistant Public Defender at Broward County Public Defender’s Office for seven years, until his wife was offered an internship opportunity at the University of Washington which transplanted them both to the Pacific Northwest.

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Lucenko and his fellow attorneys at Connolly Tacon & Meserve donate their time, providing pro bono legal services.

Lucenko and his wife had never been to the Northwest before, but quickly fell in love with the region. After Lucenko’s wife’s internship concluded, the two reluctantly returned to Florida.

“After living in Washington, we didn’t want to live in Florida anymore,” says Lucenko. It was 2002, and Lucenko and his wife had been back in Florida for less than one year before deciding to pack their bags and make the move to the Northwest, this time planting roots in Olympia.

Lucenko’s wife, who had recently graduated with a Ph.D in Psychology, took a job working for the state and Lucenko signed on with a respected Olympia law firm, Connolly Tacon & Meserve (CTM).

Lucenko has been with CTM for more than 10 years, providing Olympia-area residents with experienced legal services  in matters relating to family and criminal law. “I am really fortunate to work for a firm that has a really good reputation and place in the community,” says Lucenko.

Connolly Tacon & Meserve has been serving the Thurston County community for more than 40 years, providing personalized, professional services in almost every aspect of law. Priding themselves in their personal, client-focused approach, every attorney at CTM understands that each case is different, which is why they take extra measures to ensure the services they provide are individualized to meet the unique needs of each client.

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Lenny and his wife, Barb, attend the Thurston County Bar Association Annual Meeting in May when he was installed as President.

In addition to representing his CTM clients, Lucenko also serves as the President of the Thurston County Bar Association (TCBA). Lucenko brings 20 years of experience to his leadership role, providing support, resources and networking opportunities to the association’s more than 300 members.

Following the theme of loving where he lives and helping people, as president of TCBA, Lucenko also leads several community outreach projects through the association. One of the community enrichment projects that Lucenko has spearheaded and is proud of is TCBA’s participation in the Salvation Army’s Adopt-A-Family program. The Thurston County Bar Association has also participated in United Way of Thurston County’s Day of Caring, among other community-focused events. In addition to volunteering and outreach projects through TCBA, Lucenko and his fellow CTM attorneys are frequently donating their time, providing pro bono services for individuals who can’t afford to hire an attorney.

Simply put, Lucenko says, “I practice law to help people.” But, more than just helping the people he represents in the courtroom, Lucenko’s giving personality extends throughout the community through the many volunteering and outreach projects he is involved with. “Olympia is a great place to live. It’s important to be an active member of the community.”

For more information about Lucenko and the other attorneys at Connolly Tacon & Meserve, visit their website here.

 

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