The law firm of Abbot, Murphy and Harvey, P.C. was established in 1977, but its roots date to 1951 when James C. Abbot joined his father, W. Wright Abbot, in the practice of law in Louisville. Wright Abbot was a distinguished lawyer, banker and jurist, as was Jim Abbot. John R. Murphy III joined the firm in 1977 after practicing law for six years in Atlanta. Fred K. Harvey, Jr. moved back to his hometown from Augusta in 1987, and brought his business-oriented practice into the firm. John Murphy has served as Judge of Jefferson County State Court since 1997 (an elected, part-time position), and has an active general practice, with emphasis on real estate and probate matters. Jeffrey M. Harvey has assumed the bulk of his late father's corporate, bankruptcy, and public utility practice. The law firm is listed in the Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, and offers a wide range of excellent legal services for clients in the East Central Georgia area.