From Court Reporter to Community Leader: Attorney Sarah LaMaster Named One of Harrisburg’s 20 in Their 20s

Most attorneys begin their legal careers after passing the bar. Sarah LaMaster began hers long before that — sitting in a courtroom as a court reporter, absorbing every procedural detail, every objection, every moment where someone’s future hung in the balance. That early vantage point would shape the kind of lawyer she’d eventually become, and the kind of community leader she already is.

Kitay Law Offices, known throughout Pennsylvania as “The Law Firm With a Heart®,” is incredibly proud to announce that Associate Attorney Sarah E. LaMaster, Esq. has been selected as an honoree of the 8th Annual Harrisburg Young Professionals (HYP) 20 in Their 20s Awards. This recognition celebrates 20 outstanding young professionals who are making a meaningful impact in their workplaces and throughout the greater Harrisburg community.

The awards ceremony will take place on November 11, 2026. For Sarah, her team, and the clients she serves, this recognition validates what has been years in the making — a career built on relentless self-improvement, deep empathy, and a genuine commitment to the people around her.

What the Harrisburg Young Professionals 20 in Their 20s Award Recognizes

The 20 in Their 20s Awards program is organized by Harrisburg Young Professionals (HYP), a nonprofit community organization dedicated to attracting, retaining, and empowering young talent in the greater Harrisburg region. HYP works to connect emerging leaders with opportunities for professional development, civic engagement, and meaningful community involvement throughout Central Pennsylvania.

Now in its eighth year, the 20 in Their 20s program identifies exactly 20 young professionals — all in their twenties — who are already making an outsized impact in their industries and their communities. Honorees are reviewed and selected by the HYP board, and the final 20 represent the very best of Harrisburg’s next generation of leaders across a wide range of fields.

Being chosen is no small feat. In a region as professionally diverse and civically active as Harrisburg, being named one of just 20 young people making a measurable difference speaks to both the quality of Sarah’s legal work and the depth of her community engagement beyond the office walls.

Why Attorney Sarah LaMaster Earned This Recognition

Sarah’s path to this award is unlike almost any other attorney’s story — because she didn’t start at the top. She built her way there from the ground up.

Before ever attending law school, Sarah worked as a court reporter, legal assistant, paralegal, senior paralegal, and law clerk. Each role gave her an increasingly comprehensive view of how the justice system operates — not from a textbook, but from the inside out. By the time she earned her J.D. from Widener Law Commonwealth and her B.A. in English Literature from Penn State, she had already spent years watching cases unfold and understanding what separates good legal work from great legal work.

That hands-on foundation earned her the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award in 2024 and a Trial Advocacy Certificate from Widener Law Commonwealth — honors that recognized her exceptional natural talent in oral argument and courtroom presentation before she had even begun practicing full-time.

But what makes Sarah’s selection as a 20 in Their 20s honoree especially meaningful is everything she does outside of the courtroom. Sarah pioneered a lunch-and-learn mentorship program for paralegals at Kitay Law Offices, creating a structured space for professional development that didn’t exist before she built it. She regularly judges trial advocacy competitions for law students, investing her time in the next generation of legal professionals. She has served on the boards of the Broad Street Market and the Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Network (PAIRWN) — a groundbreaking nonprofit dedicated to the well-being of immigrant and refugee women in Pennsylvania through culturally responsive programs promoting economic self-sufficiency, social integration, and emotional support. Sarah is also currently being considered for a board seat with NAMI York/Adams, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. And in her personal life, she co-founded a local book club — because building community doesn’t always require a courtroom.

“Every role I’ve held — from court reporter to attorney — has taught me something new about listening, about compassion, and about showing up for people during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” said Attorney LaMaster. “That’s what drives my work at the firm and in the community. This recognition from HYP is incredibly meaningful, and it motivates me to keep pushing forward.”

Sarah’s criminal defense practice intersects closely with mental health — an area she is passionate about both professionally and personally. She understands that the individuals who enter the justice system are often navigating far more than a legal charge. They may be struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or a crisis that spiraled beyond their control. Sarah brings that awareness into every case she handles, treating each client as a whole person — not just a file number.

What This Means for Our Clients

Awards like the 20 in Their 20s don’t exist in a vacuum. They reflect something real about how an attorney approaches their work and the people they serve.

When a client hires Kitay Law Offices and works with Attorney LaMaster, they are working with someone who has seen the legal system from every possible angle — someone who started by documenting proceedings and now leads them. That journey created an attorney with an unusually detailed understanding of courtroom procedure, evidence presentation, and the human dynamics that shape case outcomes.

Sarah’s deep community involvement — her mentorship work, her board service with organizations supporting immigrants, refugees, and individuals facing mental health challenges — isn’t separate from her legal practice. It’s an extension of it. Clients benefit from an attorney whose empathy isn’t performative. It’s built into how she operates, how she communicates, and how she fights for the people who trust her with their cases.

For anyone facing the stress and uncertainty of a criminal charge, a DUI, or a PFA matter, knowing that your attorney genuinely understands the emotional weight of what you’re going through — and has dedicated her career to standing up for vulnerable people — can make all the difference.

About Kitay Law Offices

Kitay Law Offices has been serving communities across Pennsylvania since 1995. Founded by Kenneth M. Kitay, Esq., the firm has grown into one of the state’s most recognized law firms, operating out of eight office locations — including Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, Kennett Square, Chambersburg, Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and York.

The firm handles personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, and DUI matters with a team-based approach. Nearly the entire staff is bilingual in English and Spanish, and every client benefits from the firm’s signature 5-Star Client Experience — a commitment to responsiveness, transparency, and genuine care at every stage of a case.

Attorney LaMaster’s recognition as one of Harrisburg’s 20 in Their 20s joins a growing list of honors for the firm and its team, including back-to-back Top Lawyer of the Lehigh Valley awards for Criminal Defense Department Chair David D. Ritter, 10 years of BBB Accreditation, the 2025 Greater Reading Business Excellence Award, and the firm’s designation as Best Bilingual Personal Injury Law Firm — USA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does an attorney’s community involvement matter when choosing legal representation?

An attorney who is actively engaged in their community — serving on nonprofit boards, mentoring young professionals, and advocating for vulnerable populations — demonstrates the same qualities that make for excellent legal representation: dedication, empathy, and a commitment to showing up for people who need help. At Kitay Law Offices, community involvement isn’t a side project. It reflects the values we bring into every case.

What should I look for when hiring a criminal defense attorney in Pennsylvania?

Look for experience, courtroom skill, and genuine attentiveness to your situation. A strong criminal defense attorney will explain the process clearly, keep you informed at every step, and fight aggressively to protect your rights, your record, and your future. At Kitay Law Offices, our criminal defense team brings decades of combined courtroom experience and a deep understanding of how the prosecution builds its cases — which means we know exactly how to challenge them.

How does mental health intersect with criminal defense cases?

Many people who enter the criminal justice system are dealing with underlying mental health challenges — anxiety, depression, PTSD, or crisis situations that contributed to the circumstances of their case. A compassionate defense attorney understands these realities and can incorporate them into a comprehensive legal strategy, whether that means pursuing alternative sentencing, diversion programs like ARD, or presenting mitigating context to the court. Attorney LaMaster’s dedication to mental health advocacy directly informs how she approaches each client’s case.

Contact Kitay Law Offices Today

If you or someone you love is facing a criminal charge, a DUI, or a Protection From Abuse matter in Pennsylvania, you don’t have to navigate the justice system alone. The legal process can feel overwhelming and isolating — but reaching out for help is the first step toward protecting your future.

Our team — including award-winning attorneys like Sarah LaMaster — is here to listen, to explain what comes next, and to fight for the best possible outcome in your case. Call us today at 1-888-KITAY-LAW (1-888-548-2952) or fill out our Contact Form. You deserve a team that cares about your case — and about you.