Melissa C. Lewis

Melissa C. Lewis is the founder and managing attorney of MCL Family Law Firm, a Pittsburgh-based firm dedicated to helping families navigate complex legal challenges with clarity, compassion, and confidence.

Melissa began her legal career in 2014, gaining experience across nearly every corner of the legal system before dedicating her practice exclusively to family law. In 2024, she took a bold step forward by acquiring her former employer’s practice and starting MCL Family Law Firm, later transforming it from the MCL Family Law Firm into MCL Family Law — a name change that will officially take effect in January 2026. Her leadership has carried the firm into a new era of service, accessibility, and advocacy for families across Pennsylvania.

As the daughter of an elementary school teacher and a U.S. Air Force sergeant, Melissa learned the importance of discipline, compassion, and resilience early on — values that deeply shape her approach to family law. She represents clients in divorce, custody, support, equitable distribution, protection from abuse, adoption, and guardianship cases. She also serves as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem and assigned counsel for alleged incapacitated persons in guardianship proceedings, ensuring vulnerable individuals have a strong and fair voice in court.

Recognized for her excellence in advocacy and dedication to her clients, Melissa was named to the 2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, a distinction awarded to less than 2.5% of attorneys statewide — and is already on track to receive it again in 2026.

Melissa’s legal journey began long before founding her own firm. She worked her way up from paralegal to attorney, serving in roles at respected Pittsburgh firms including Lisa Marie Vari & Associates, Colarusso and Cohen, and The Pisanchyn Law Firm. She also gained experience at the Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office, Neighborhood Legal Services, and as a Document Review Specialist for national legal staffing agencies. Each step along the way strengthened her understanding of the law, refined her litigation skills, and reinforced her belief that family law is about people — not just paperwork.

Melissa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science (Pre-Law) from California University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated a year ahead of schedule, a Paralegal Certification from the Community College of Allegheny County, and a Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law. While at Duquesne, she was active in the Student Bar Association, participated in the Trial Advocacy Program, and competed in the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County Trial Competition — experiences that helped shape her courtroom confidence and advocacy style.

Her love for both travel and law deepened during her time living and studying abroad in Europe during college and law school, experiences that broadened her perspective on culture, justice, and the resilience of families worldwide.

Melissa is a proud member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, involved in several committees of Family Law Section, the Homer S. Brown division, is a member of the Judiciary Committee and remains actively engaged in local organizations that support families and the legal community. Her firm also provides mobile notary services throughout Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland, Butler, and Beaver counties, ensuring that families across Western Pennsylvania can access the help they need — wherever they are.

Above all, Melissa believes that every family — no matter its shape or circumstance — deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and understanding. Her practice is built on that belief, and it continues to guide her every day, both in and out of the courtroom.