Melinda A. Lucka has been a member of the South Carolina Bar since 1992.  Originally from Tampa, Florida, Ms. Lucka has lived in South Carolina since 1974.  After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1979, Ms. Lucka worked in the field of municipal and county planning, in the public and private sectors, until going to Law School in 1987.  While in Law School, Ms. Lucka was qualified and worked as expert witness in planning and zoning cases in state and federal courts, and served as a judicial intern with Alabama State Supreme Court Justice Richard "Red" Jones in 1988.  Upon completion of law school, she began practicing law in Charleston, primarily in the administrative and regulatory areas of land use and environmental law and real property law, and also in the area of complex personal injury insurance claims.

                Ms. Lucka represents business owners, property owners, homeowners associations, and local government entities in administrative and regulatory hearings and appeals brought before local Commissions, Boards, and Councils, and the Administrative Law Courts, Circuit Courts, and the Appellate Courts in South Carolina.  She has served as municipal attorney for the Town of Lincolnville, S.C. since 2003, was past attorney for the Town James Island, (1993-1996).  She has handled the prosecution of non-jury criminal cases for the City of Charleston since 1997.

                Ms. Lucka is a member of the adjunct faculty at the College of Charleston, having taught Land Use Law in the Political Science/Urban Studies department since 1994.  She was on the Lorman faculty for continuing education for attorneys, planners, engineers, and real estate professionals from 2000-2007, and has presented CLE seminars for NBI and the South Carolina Bar.  Additionally, Ms. Lucka has written local government Zoning Ordinances, and has contributed to the drafting and preparation of Comprehensive Plans for several cities and counties in South Carolina.

                Prior to joining the Finkel Law Firm, Ms. Lucka practiced law with C.C. "Cotton" Harness, III, from 2006-2010, and was "of counsel" in the Charleston office of Austin & Rogers, P.A.  Ms. Lucka was in private practice in Charleston from 1992-2006.