About Christopher James
Christopher James Szewczyk built the foundations of his legal career at two Pennsylvania institutions and one upstate New York law school. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Scranton in 2002. Four years later he graduated from Syracuse University College of Law with his J.D. in 2006.
He began practicing in northeastern Pennsylvania after law school. In 2009 he joined Mazzoni, Karam, Petorak, & Valvano as an associate. That year he also became a member of the Lackawanna Bar Association, a membership he has maintained through the present. Early in his career he took on roles that tied him closely to local government affairs.
In 2010 Szewczyk served as solicitor to the Zoning Hearing Board for the Borough of Dickson City. The following year he accepted the position of solicitor to the Lackawanna County Election Board. Those positions placed him in regular contact with municipal officials, boards, and administrative processes. They also gave him experience in the procedures that shape land use and local election administration in the county.
Throughout his career Szewczyk has worked in settings that require both courtroom readiness and steady advisory work for public bodies. His background includes time in private firm practice as an associate and periods in which he provided counsel to public boards. Membership in the regional bar association has kept him engaged with the local legal community and with changes in county and municipal practice.
He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and has concentrated his work around matters that arise in that jurisdiction. Those who have worked with him note a practical approach to municipal questions and the mechanics of local governance. As of 2026 he continues to practice law in Pennsylvania, handling municipal, zoning, and election-related matters in the region.
