About Robert E.
Robert E. Mielnicki built a legal career that began in public defense and moved steadily into private practice and firm leadership. He earned a B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1987 and received his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 1991. Those early academic years set the stage for immediate courtroom work.
He started his career in 1991 as an assistant public defender in Lancaster County. The job put him in front of juries and on a tight calendar. It also gave him regular exposure to trial practice and client advocacy. In 1996 he entered private practice as a lawyer with Seewald, Swartz & Associates. Over the next decade he took on increasing responsibilities.
In 2004 he became a partner in the firm that then operated as Seewald, Mielnicki & Petro. Partnership brought management duties as well as a steadier docket of complex criminal matters. In 2012 he moved to firm ownership. Mielnicki & Stiffler, LLC reflects that stage of his career and remains the vehicle for his current practice.
His admissions cover both state and federal courts. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania state courts. Those credentials allow him to handle appeals and federal matters in addition to state-level criminal defense work.
Professional affiliations have been a regular part of his practice life. He holds memberships in the National Association for DUI Defense, the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the State Bar of Pennsylvania. He also holds an A+ credential from the Better Business Bureau (Credential ID 63489), an uncommon detail for a small firm owner but one that reflects attention to client relations and practice administration.
Mielnicki has balanced courtroom litigation and firm management for three decades. He has moved through roles as a public defender, associate, partner, and now owner-attorney. The arc of his career shows steady progression into positions that combine trial work and practice oversight. He currently practices at Mielnicki & Stiffler, LLC, handling criminal defense and DUI matters.
