To the Editor:

As a former Village of Potsdam Court Clerk, I know many local attorneys and how they work. I have had the pleasure of knowing Alex Lesyk for several years.

Alex has made tremendous efforts over his years to help children and families. As a Staff Attorney at North Country Legal Services in Plattsburgh, for example, he fought for children with disabilities to be mainstreamed into regular classrooms. Now that is the norm.

When he was the Chief Public Defender in Franklin County, half of his caseload involved Family Court cases.

Few people know that in private practice, Alex was one of the first attorneys here willing to help farmers with their unique bankruptcy cases and people appealing Social Security Disability denials.

In St. Lawrence County, we know that Alex served as the Chief Assistant District Attorney. But did you know that he successfully prosecuted a serial killer of children in this and other counties?

At SUNY Canton, Alex taught the Family Law he would be expected to know as Family Court Judge. He also taught future paralegals, lawyers, law enforcement, and judges the laws they would need to know to help our families and communities.

Alex is also a Board Member for Maximizing Independent Living Choices (MILC) in Massena, which helps families with special needs. He was a key player in the opening of another office in Ogdensburg to help even more families.

Alex has been recognized for his excellence. Others have mentioned his recognition for his superior representation of low-income clients. Alex has also had over 100 of his cases “reported,” which means his work had enough merit and innovation to be used as permanent examples for other attorneys. Alex is even admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Alex is now a Principal Court Attorney in the Franklin County Family Court. Lately, he and the Family Court Judge he reports to have been handling our Drug Court. Did you know they were founding members of the Franklin County Drug Court system?

The logical next step for Alex is a judgeship in Family Court. It just makes sense. I have seen him as a respected attorney who has devoted the bulk of his career and his current work helping children and families. He is one of the hardest working attorneys I know and one of the nicest besides! We need Alex Lesyk to be Family Court Judge.

Shelley Warner-Levison
Norwood