Steven Lulich, Sebastian attorney, remembered for community service, friendship

SEBASTIAN ― He treated everybody the same. Friends and family of Steven Lulich, a longtime attorney in the Sebastian area, remember him for the care and attention he had with his clients.

"It's not like he would treat the CEO of some company any better than somebody in the Bahamas who just lost their house," said his son Jordan Lulich, an attorney with his father in the firm Lulich & Attorneys. "I think he was able to carry a very genuine love for people and for helping people through all of his outreach and nonprofit efforts."

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Steven Lulich, 71, died June 27 after he had an acute cardiac event while driving on Interstate 95 in Martin County, according to an announcement from his law firm. He left a wife, brother, three children and three grandchildren.

Since 1985, he lived in Sebastian and made a mark in real estate, law and community service.

He started Lulich & Attorneys over 35 years ago and had two offices, one in Sebastian and one in Vero Beach, serving clients in the areas of real estate, business law, estate planning and personal injury.

His service extended far beyond his work as a lawyer. He was a jack-of-all-trades when it came to community service.

He dedicated much of his time to local nonprofits and to charity work as far as the Bahamas.

When Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas and parts of Florida, Steven and his son formed a nonprofit to take goods to the islands.

"Him and I went down to the Bahamas together to help carry goods down there and pass them out to the locals and the churches because they were just decimated from the storm," Jordan Lulich said. "Whether it be that, or an event that we hosted through the law firm, or his involvement in the Sebastian chamber, or contributing to the scholarship fund of the Italian American club, I think there was really a multitude of ways that he gave back ..."

Those closest to him saw his dedication to the Sebastian community every day. That level of care and attention extended to his clients.

"I would say through advising clients, there was just a genuine care for people," Jordan Lulich said. "He would take a pro bono case or he would offer his time and just meet with someone for free. He became invested in people where not only did he help them with a specific transaction, but he became the family attorney for that person."

Jim Parla, a friend of Lulich, said he first heard of the lawyer through his parents, who hired him as an attorney.

Lulich was their go-to person to navigate through complicated documents and legal matters.

"So, anytime anything ever came up, and I would say 'Hey, Mom, you know I can help you out with that ... (she said) 'nah, nah, I'll call Lulich.' "

Friendships would grow from much of his professional work.

Eugene Popow, of Sebastian, said he worked in real estate with Steven Lulich and would always look forward to their hangouts together.

"He was always very outgoing. Easy laugh, loved to dance," Popow said. "... (his death) was really, really a shock."

Lulich helped Popow with legal work, but the fun they had together is what sticks with him.

Sometimes it would be in unexpected places.

"We met him and his wife in Delray, and we were walking around the various restaurants and lounges and it was late at night and all of a sudden the four of us started dancing on the railroad tracks," Popow said. "I don't know why, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. And that's a memory that I've always kept with him."

And that friendship is what he'll cherish the most.

"In terms of the community, of course, he was very active and will be missed, but you know what? I miss him mostly from a personal standpoint," Popow said. "I mean I can always get another lawye,r but a friend is hard to find."

Lulich's family asks donations in Steven Lulich's memory be made online to The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, or to the foundation by mail: 11901 Santa Monica Blvd. No. 410, Los Angeles, CA 90025

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Mauricio La Plante is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow him on Twitter @mslaplantenews or email him at mauricio.laplante@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: steven lulich attorney sebastian remembered after death