Alena Ciecko - Seattle, WA

Alena Ciecko heads Muth Atwood PLLC’s Child Protective Services (CPS) and dependency practice. She prides herself on getting to know clients in order to best represent them and connect clients with the experts who can help address various case issues. She is laser-focused on keeping families intact. Alena spends the time to understand the situations that have brought the clients into the legal system and is able to develop strong case theories or mitigation stories because of her detailed approach. She makes certain to be accessible to clients and to maintain open communication throughout the process. She is well-acquainted with all aspects of CPS investigations, CPS appeals, and dependency actions. She knows the ins and outs of the services Washington State can provide for families with children in crisis and the internal policies and procedures of CPS. She has focused on assisting families with teenagers in crisis and can navigate the overlap of numerous systems; legal, education, involuntary commitment, behavioral health, and CPS. She knows that many parents are wrongfully accused of abuse in complex circumstances, and she is well-equipped to help parents navigate these often stressful investigations.

Alena is equally a highly experienced criminal trial attorney and has litigated and tried numerous cases in public and private defense for over 20 years. She understands the criminal legal process such that she can adeptly guide clients through pre-charge investigations as well as successfully challenge charged cases. Her experience in CPS and dependency matters is invaluable in criminal cases with parallel CPS investigations. Alena is a former managing attorney with the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD) and served as the supervisor of the Dependency Unit for 5 years. Alena obtained her B.A. from the University of Washington's Jackson School of International Studies and her J.D. from the University of Washington’s School of Law. Alena also serves as a volunteer leader with Southeast Seattle Schools Fundraising Alliance, an organization committed to promoting equity in fundraising across the 17 elementary and middle schools of Southeast Seattle. Alena is a mother, an active community member, and volunteer.