Switalski Law
Applying Judicial Experience to Complex Dispute Resolution

Litigation often places individuals, businesses and families in situations where the financial and emotional costs of prolonged disputes continue growing long before a case reaches trial. Switalski Law built its mediation and arbitration practice around helping parties resolve those conflicts through practical legal insight shaped by decades of courtroom experience.

“I like to think I have a reputation as unbiased, fair, experienced and reasonable,” says Mark Switalski, retired judge.

Switalski spent 33 years on the bench, serving 12 years as a District Court Judge and 21 years as a Circuit Court Judge before retiring in 2022. Since joining Switalski Law, he has focused on mediation, facilitation and arbitration while continuing to work on select legal matters for the firm.

His judicial experience spans civil litigation, criminal proceedings and family law disputes. Over the course of his career, Switalski presided over personal injury claims, construction disputes, breach of contract matters, shareholder conflicts, medical malpractice cases, zoning disputes and wrongful discharge litigation. He also handled extensive family court matters involving divorce and child custody disputes.

That breadth of exposure continues shaping the firm’s approach to alternative dispute resolution. Switalski Law believes successful mediation requires not only legal knowledge, but also the ability to understand the priorities, pressures and risks facing all parties involved in a dispute.

Building Resolution through Experience

Switalski Law’s perspective developed through decades of trial management and settlement discussions. During his years on the Circuit Court bench, Switalski worked through jury verdicts ranging from multi-million-dollar awards to complete defense rulings while also facilitating settlements across countless disputes that never proceeded to trial.

The company applies his experience toward helping clients evaluate litigation risk realistically while identifying opportunities for resolution before costs escalate further.

Switalski also believes mediation benefits from a flexibility judges often cannot provide inside active court systems. While judges manage crowded dockets and limited schedules, mediation allows for extended discussions focused entirely on the needs of the parties involved.

That flexibility becomes especially valuable in emotionally sensitive disputes involving families, probate matters or long-standing business conflicts. Switalski Law frequently handles mediations involving sibling disagreements, probate disputes and relationship-related legal matters where preserving communication and reducing hostility can remain as important as the legal outcome itself.

Switalksi Law’s background in landlord-tenant matters, criminal proceedings and family law also allows it to approach disputes from multiple legal and personal perspectives rather than through a narrow litigation lens.

Expanding Alternative Dispute Resolution in Michigan

Switalski’s administrative experience also influenced the firm’s philosophy around efficient dispute management. During his tenure as Chief Judge of the Macomb County Circuit Court, he helped establish the first Business Court in the State of Michigan.

The initiative focused on creating a court structure better aligned with commercial realities while encouraging early disposition conferences and alternative dispute resolution methods. Many of the negotiation and case-management practices developed through that project continue influencing the firm’s mediation and arbitration work today.

Beyond business litigation, Switalski also founded the Macomb County Circuit Court Veterans Treatment Court in 2012. The program focused on helping veterans facing legal challenges connected to substance abuse, pain management and mental health concerns transition back into stable civilian life.

He also negotiated and drafted the Macomb County Jail Bed Allocation Agreement, which addressed long-standing jail overcrowding issues while reducing taxpayer costs through coordinated judicial and law enforcement collaboration.

Switalski Law believes these experiences reinforced the importance of structured communication, balanced decision-making and practical problem-solving across all forms of dispute resolution.

Switalski Law continues focusing on mediation and arbitration services throughout Metro Detroit while applying decades of judicial experience to increasingly complex legal disputes. Its approach remains centered on fairness, preparation and helping parties resolve matters through informed discussion rather than unnecessary escalation.