About Melanie Klark
Melanie Klark Szawara began her legal path in Michigan. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science — Public Law from Western Michigan University in 1999. She then completed her Juris Doctor at Michigan State University College of Law in 2003. Those years framed her early interest in the practical side of law and in dispute resolution.
After law school Szawara moved quickly into firm practice. Her first recorded role was as an associate at RizzoBryan in 2003. She spent subsequent years handling a range of matters that built courtroom familiarity and client-facing experience. In 2008 she joined Harris & Literski as an associate, continuing to broaden her practice and deepen her understanding of state procedures and local court culture.
Several years later Szawara shifted toward independent practice. In 2021 she established MKS Law, PLLC. The move to a solo practice allowed her to shape the firm’s day-to-day operations and to tailor services to individual clients. That same year she also joined the Washtenaw County Bar Association and took on a volunteer officer role as secretary of the Dexter Community Fund. She had already been active in local civic life; she became a member of the Dexter Rotary Club in 2020 and has been affiliated with the Livingston County Bar Association since 2008.
Szawara carries a certification as a Domestic Mediator from the Michigan State Court Administrator. That credential signals a formal line of training in mediation procedures, client communication in domestic matters, and settlement negotiations. It complements the litigation experience she accrued in private practice and informs how she manages contested family matters.
Colleagues and clients know her for steady, practical handling of cases rather than for headline-grabbing litigation. She blends courtroom experience from earlier firm work with mediator training to offer a mix of options to people facing family law disputes. Her civic roles in Dexter reflect ongoing local ties and an interest in community-based problem solving.
Today Szawara operates MKS Law, PLLC as a solo practitioner in Michigan. Her practice concentrates on family law, domestic relations and mediation in state courts, where she combines litigation experience and mediator training to handle client matters.
