The Odierno Law Firm is a Melville-based personal injury practice that concentrates on motor vehicle accidents as well as general "trip and fall" type incidents. Over the years, they have cemented a stellar reputation for getting individuals who have been injured their just and deserved compensation, while always providing stellar transparency, support, communication, and customer service.
However, according to Scott Odierno – owner/partner of the Odierno Law Firm – it’s always been vitally important not to take his success for granted, and to that end he endeavors to return the trust and good will his practice has generated with the public over the years right back to them.
The firm was started by Scott's father, Joseph, back in 1978, who at the time was an experienced attorney looking to strike out on his own after working at several other practices. Joseph continues working at the firm to this very day, although in a reduced capacity after handing the reins over to his son; also involved in the firm is Scott's brother Lee, who is also a partner.
Scott himself joined the firm back in 1993; he was inspired to become an attorney partly because it was a calling that was deeply ingrained within him due to his father's work in the field, but also because he enjoyed the idea of providing a service to others where he would be able to help them at their time of their greatest need, something he says he finds incredibly fulfilling.
“It's great to be able to run a customer-based business and make a living, but it was important for me also to become involved in the community and assist people,” Scott said.
Scott noted that his firm is committed to community engagement and giving back; to that end, they have created two annual scholarships to help deserving high school students who are entering college.
The first is the Brianna Lieneck Memorial Scholarship, offered in memory of Brianna Lieneck, who tragically lost her life in 2005 at the age of only 11-years old in a boating accident with her family – who also sustained serious injuries – off the shore of Fire Island.
Brianna was described by her family as a caring, charismatic individual who was also an outstanding athlete who was passionate about softball; in addition, she was also lauded as a fantastic student in school.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Lieneck family advocated for a new boating safety law that requires all operators of motorized watercraft to complete a state-approved boating safety course. Known as Brianna’s Law, the 2019 measure also created a boating safety promotional campaign.
Scott Odierno and Gina Lieneck, present the 2nd annual Brianna Lieneck Scholarship to Danielle Gering. Congratulations to Danielle and her parents, Christine and Doug Gering.
Scott said that his daughter had been playing on a softball team coached by Brianna's father, and he got to know the grieving father and his wife quite well personally. This new friendship inspired him to do something special in Brianna's name, as a result, The Odierno Law Firm established an annual scholarship in her memory.
“I thought it would be a nice thing to do because I know them and I like them a lot, they're really nice people and they do a lot to help others,” he said. “So, every year, we award a $15,000 scholarship to a high school student chosen by Brianna's parents. The requirements are that they need to be a senior in high school, they need to play sports, and the need to write an essay on how they overcame some type of adversity in their life.”
Once a winner is selected by Brianna's parents, the $15,000 scholarship is awarded to whatever college or university the student will be attending after they graduate.
The second yearly scholarship that the Odierno Law Firm offers is in the amount of $20,000 to Wyandanch High School, split up into one $5,000 payment per year over the course of the 4 years of the chosen student's college career.
The winner each year is selected by the high school's principal and administration, and given the fact that this is an annual scholarship, at any given time there are as many as four students from Wyandanch High School who are receiving the $5,000 annual scholarship.
However, Odierno Law Firm’s community engagement doesn't end with their scholarships; there's a lot of other ways that they engage and give back, Scott said.
“We do a lot of community service with our Lady of Loretto Church in Hempstead. We do back to school events where we provide supplies, and we donate turkeys at Thanksgiving,” he said. “There's also a lot of one-off stuff that we do every year, such as working with animal shelters. We try to be really consistent with helping out wherever we can...that's the way our business should be run.”
Scott elaborated on his point, saying that The Odierno Law Firm has established trust with those they've served over the years, and it's important to show that that trust is both appreciated and reciprocated.
“We make money by working with the community, so it's nice to be able to give back to them because it means that they trust us. We're not just taking their money and buying nice cars, we're putting it back into the community that has been supporting us all these years,” he said. “Plus, it's also a good business decision, because ultimately, it establishes us as a firm that cares, and if you're looking for legal representation, who are you going to pick? Are you going to go with some random, interchangeable practice, or are you going to go with one that has established that they have a stake in the Long Island community? I want our firm to represent us in the best possible light in that regard.”
If you have been injured in an automobile accident or slip and fall incident through no fault of your own and need consultation – or if you want more information about their charitable endeavors – please contact the Odierno Law Firm by calling 631-994-3043 or visiting their website at https://www.o2law.com/.