Our lawyers and staff possess a deep desire to help clients who, in many cases, have experienced difficulties, suffered trauma and faced great uncertainty in their lives. We work very hard in consultation with clients to achieve their legal goals by assisting with decision-making and by keeping them informed of developments throughout the course of their case.
Our History
The story of the Law Offices of Abom & Kutulakis begins, of course, in a courtroom. John “Jay” Abom and Jason Kutulakis met in spring 2000 while on opposite sides of a criminal jury trial. They developed mutual professional respect, became friends and discovered a shared goal of opening an independent law practice in historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Within the year, the two young attorneys became partners and opened the law firm of Abom & Kutulakis at midnight on January 1, 2001.
Early on, Jason and Jay subscribed to the belief that: If you do good work at a fair price, you will always have clients. They offered primarily criminal defense and child protective services law from a leased, four-room office in Carlisle’s Kronenberg Building and a satellite office on Walnut Street in the City of Harrisburg. The firm grew, adding attorneys and support staff and branching into new areas of practice, until Abom & Kutulakis needed larger quarters and moved to offices owned by Attorney Robert Black at 36 South Hanover Street.
Abom & Kutulakis grew in legal stature as well. The Pennsylvania Bar Association named Jason Kutulakis “Child Advocate of the Year” in 2006. The National Board of Trial Advocacy pronounced Jay Abom a Board Certified Criminal Law Advocate in 2003, a certification he maintains today.
Jay also became a Federal Criminal Justice Act Attorney in July 2003, appointed to represent indigent clients accused of federal crimes. The firm continued to expand and sharpened its focus on family law while also expanding its geographic footprint with offices in the City of York and in Chambersburg Borough.
Sealing their commitment to Carlisle and Cumberland County, in 2009, Jason and Jay bought and renovated our current office property at 2 West High Street next door to Cumberland County’s Old Courthouse on the town square. The property has a rich history, having served as the Dauphin Deposit Bank and, before that, the Carlisle Trust Company, home to the first known Christmas Savings Club.
After weathering the economic recession of 2008, Abom & Kutulakis encountered its most severe setback. Tragically, our founding partner and dear friend Jason Kutulakis died suddenly and unexpectedly in January 2016 at the age of 47. His memory is honored with a conference room dedicated to his many professional accomplishments, worthwhile causes and personal interests, along with a few of his cherished hunting trophies. Jason’s commitment to advocate fiercely on our clients’ behalf remains a foundational principle of the law firm and a legacy to his love for the law. Read more on Jason’s bio page.
We are grateful to the community that hosts and supports our firm, and we strive to be involved in local affairs by mentoring high school, college and law students who aspire to enter the legal field. Abom & Kutulakis provides pro bono services through the Cumberland County Bar Association (CCBA) and assists and advises the local Downtown Carlisle Association to keep our community thriving and welcoming to residents and visitors. Legal peers recognized Jay Abom’s commitment to community and legal service in January 2020 when the CCBA honored him with its Distinguished Member Award.
Through the past 20 years, our firm has established a proud reputation of legal excellence fueled by skilled attorneys and a dedicated and experienced legal support staff. We possess a deep desire to help clients who, in many cases, have experienced difficulties, suffered trauma and faced great uncertainty in their lives. We work very hard in consultation with clients to achieve their legal goals by assisting with their decision-making and by keeping them informed of developments throughout the course of their case.
The attorneys and staff of Abom & Kutulakis LLC look forward to providing legal counsel for many generations to come. We invite you to explore our website, to attend our community’s events, and to contact us at 717-249-0900 to arrange a consultation regarding your legal matters or concerns.