If you are thinking about bankruptcy, you might be nervous, scared, or embarrassed. All of those are perfectly natural feelings, but please know that I truly care about all my clients and there will be no judgment with me. I fully understand that people file bankruptcy for all sorts of reasons, from job loss, medical bills, and divorce, to name just a few. Sometimes it is because someone just isn't great with money - and that is OK too! :)

I will be sure to go over all of your options with you, including non-bankruptcy options. I will take my time to explain everything to you so you feel comfortable with any decision you make. I have been told on more than a few occasions that I make filing for bankruptcy fun. So try not to stress and give me a call. The consultation is free and I promise you that you will feel so much better after we talk.

My firm is small, and the lawyers I work with all take pride in being extremely responsive to our clients. You won't be leaving messages, waiting days for someone to get back to you. We know that having a legal issue can be very stressful and when you have a question, you want an answer quickly.

Background: Dawn was born in Queens, New York, and admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1996. She received her associate's degree in 1991 from Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY, her Bachelor of Science degree in 1993 from Barry University in Miami, Florida, graduating summa cum laude, and her law degree in 1996 from the Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Dawn has practiced a wide variety of law since being admitted to the bar in 1996, including criminal defense, family law, and bankruptcy. Dawn currently concentrates her practice in the areas of consumer bankruptcy. Dawn has been invovled with the Middle District Bankruptcy Bar Association for many years, including serving on the board.

Bankruptcy: Dawn handles both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, as well as assisting clients with negotiating with creditors when bankruptcy is not an option or not the option clients wish to pursue. Dawn assists clients with mortgage foreclosures, loan modifications, and the defense of lawsuits by credit card companies and other creditors. Dawn has been practicing bankruptcy law since she became an attorney in 1996.

Dawn is a regular speaker for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Middle District Bankruptcy Bar Association, where she develops courses and teaches other lawyers about technology, bankruptcy, ethics, and criminal defense. Dawn is a former president of the Middle District Bankruptcy Bar Association and currently serves as a board member and co-chair of the Technology and Website Committee.

Dawn was awarded the York County Bar Foundation's Pro Bono Award several times throughout her career and is committed to assisting indigent clients whenever possible.

Dawn's hobbies include cycling, running, photography, quilting and sewing, and hanging out with her dog, Foxy.

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy and Debt 25%

I help clients figure out the best way to deal with overwhelming debt, whether that be by filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, or by negotiating settlements with their creditors or litigating creditor lawsuits.

25%

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 25%

25%

Debt Collection 25%

25%

Debt Settlement 25%

25%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Payment Methods

Cash
Check

Licenses

Licensed in Pennsylvania for 29 years

State: Pennsylvania

Acquired: 1996

Active

No misconduct found

See All Attorney Licenses See Less Attorney Licenses

Location

Fresh Start Law, PLLC

(717) 297-7556

Mobile

1701 W Market Street, York, PA, 17404

freshstartyork.com/

Message Get Directions

See All Locations See Less Locations

Gallery

Dawn Marie Cutaia's Reviews

Have you consulted or hired this attorney before?

Leave a review for your experience with this attorney.

Write a Review

Overall Rating
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.

4.9 /5.0

107 Client Reviews

Avvo

5.0

(97)

Lawyers.com

4.9

(10 )

See client reviews from Lawyers.com

Filter Avvo Reviews (97) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Star rating

5 stars 96

4 stars 0

3 stars 0

2 stars 1

1 star 0

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy & Debt (55) Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (6) Chapter 13 Bankruptcy (4) Lawsuits & Disputes (4) Debt Settlement (3) Business (2) Debt Collection (2) Foreclosure (2) Child Support (1) Contracts & Agreements (1)

What Clients Mention

Practice Area Knowledge (33) Recommendation (31) Professionalism (29) Case Results (28) Responsiveness (26) Communication Style (22) Compassion (20) Advocacy (19) Character & Conduct (13) General Knowledge (13) Trustworthiness (8) Cost of Services (5) Staff & Support (5) Punctuality (3) Payment Plans (1)

Showing 6 - 10 of 20 reviews | Compassion

Posted by Keith | May 25, 2022 | Hired Attorney

Fantastic Attorney

Dawn is very competent, honest and down to earth with a terrific personality. Everything she told me was truth and events transpired exactly as she said they would. She is as close to an empath as one can hope to find in an attorney. She has my highest recommendation and gratitude.

Dawn Cutaia

Replied last May 26, 2022

Keith - thank you so much for this truly generous review - I really appreciate it! You were a joy to represent and listened to all my advice - so thank you for that! :) Enjoy your fresh start - you deserve it for sure!

Posted by Kim | January 20, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Bankruptcy & Debt

A+ Representation

Dawn is hands down the kindest, most compassionate and understanding lawyer I have ever worked with. Bankruptcy is a very scary thing to undertake. It takes a lot of time and consideration to make sure it's the right path for you. From the moment I reached out to Dawn she went above and beyond to mak...e me feel comfortable, confident, and understood. She explained everything in layman's terms and was always available for questions. I was a bit needy at times and not once did she ever express any hint of annoyance at my ridiculous questions and requests (thanks for that!). It was so comforting to have a competent and empathetic individual representing me over the last 5 years. It truly felt like I was a person and not a number or paycheck. I highly recommend Dawn's services for whatever your needs might be. You won't regret it. And while I hope to never need her services again, I would not hesitate for a moment before choosing Dawn to represent me in the future.

See Full Review Collapse Review

Dawn Cutaia

Replied last January 22, 2022

Kim - it is perfectly normal to be stressed out during this whole process. I really enjoyed representing you! You deserve your fresh start. Thank you for letting me help you get it :) - Dawn

Posted by anonymous | February 24, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Bankruptcy & Debt

The only lawyer I ever hope to have!

I made some really stupid mistakes trying to make ends meet as a single parent, and it ended up coming back to me. I was being sued by a few credit card companies and had no choice but to file bankruptcy. I found Dawn through Google and she was so helpful from the very beginning. She walked me t...hrough everything thoroughly so I understood what was going on and never once made me feel awful for going through something like this. She answered every question I had quickly and thoroughly. Even after my bankruptcy was filed and I was still getting harassed by a few companies, she went out of her way to address the issue to make them stop. Dawn helped me relieve the stress from my life and start fresh. It's only been 2 months since my bankruptcy was finalized, but I feel like a completely new person with a decent credit score for once haha If anyone ever needs assistance, she is and always will be the one I recommend!

See Full Review Collapse Review

Dawn Cutaia

Replied last October 04, 2021

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review! You shouldn't feel like you made mistakes as a single parent. Honestly, everything is so expensive and people everywhere are struggling just to make ends meet. Everywhere you turn there are all these little expenses that really add up. Plus we are bombarded with advertisements pushing us to spend money literally all the time. Being a single parent just makes it even harder. Enjoy your fresh start - you deserve it!

Posted by anonymous | February 11, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Bankruptcy & Debt

Excellent Attorney

Excellent representation! Filing bankruptcy was a very emotional thing for me to do and I was extremely grateful for having Attorney Cutaia because she was very understanding and always showed compassion during this difficult time in my life. She was always available to answer all of my questions ...throughout the bankruptcy procedure from start to finish. I would highly recommend Attorney Cutaia!!

See Full Review Collapse Review

Dawn Cutaia

Replied last February 11, 2020

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review; I really appreciate it! I am glad I was able to help you feel a little better. :)

Posted by Jamie | February 10, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Bankruptcy & Debt

Compassionate & experienced!

Dawn Cutaia is an absolute gem to work with! My husband & I hired Dawn to work on our Bankruptcy case. She helped make an unfortunate situation into an exciting new chapter in our family’s lives! The experience & compassion is what had sold us! Before hiring Dawn we had consulted with a few different... attorneys who we had felt weren’t truly listening to our needs, but we didn’t give up. We came across Dawn Cutaia and didn’t look back, only forward! Its never easy making these types of decisions, but with Dawn she made us feel confident in our decision! She listened to our needs, understood our situation & for that we will forever be grateful to have had her with us through this journey. As much of a trying time it was, I would do it all over again with Dawn! The only thing we wish we would have done different- is doing it sooner! I recommend Dawn 100%!!

See Full Review Collapse Review

Dawn Cutaia

Replied last February 10, 2020

Jamie - you guys were so wonderful to represent - I had so much fun talking to you both and I am thrilled you had such a positive experience. Thank you for letting me help you :)

See All Client Reviews

1 2 3 4

« First ‹ Prev 1 2 3 4 Next › Last »

Dawn Marie Cutaia's Lawyer Endorsements

Received

Given

Endorse Dawn