Our Mission: Your Success

Ms. Klinger serves as the Managing Partner of SMTD Law’s Los Angeles office. She was involved in all aspects of construction law on a state and national level, representing the full spectrum of the construction industry, from owners, contractors, subcontractors, and sureties. She is now dedicating that experience to assist parties in the construction industry resolve their disputes, either by serving as a mediator or as an arbitrator/judicial referee.  She is on the American Arbitration Association National Construction Panel of arbitrators and mediators as well as the Construction Mega Project Arbitration Panel and the California Public Works Contract Arbitration Program panel. She had experience in time-related claims and litigation (e.g., delay/impact), the contracting process (e.g., bidding and contract disputes/performance bond claims), payment enforcement/defense (e.g. payment bonds/mechanics liens/stop payment notices), administrative and scope claims (e.g., differing site conditions, change and extra work orders/inadequate plans and specifications and subcontractor substitutions) and counseling to the construction industry (e.g., general advice and counsel, including contract preparation, evaluation and negotiation). That experience goes a long way in assisting parties to resolve their disputes without the need to educate the neutral as to those aspects of the construction industry.

Ms. Klinger is a hard-working “straight shooter.” Early in her career, she became a pioneer in construction law, being one of the first women attorneys to practice in the primarily male-dominated field. Through her passion and unique intelligence she established a vital, nationwide practice involved in all aspects of construction law and a career marked by increasingly prominent leadership positions. She is recognized as an innovator in legal problem-solving and as a thought leader who is a frequently published author and sought-after speaker for legal, construction and educational publications and organizations. Marilyn loves humor and thinks everyone is way too serious. Chambers USA 2025 ranked Ms. Klinger one of the top Construction lawyers in California.