James A. Kawachika

Mr. Kawachika's practice has emphasized civil and commercial litigation, including business, real estate, trust, personal injury and professional liability litigation, and arbitrations and mediations, throughout his legal career. His broad range of experience has earned him recognition in Marquis' Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in the West, and Who's Who in Finance and Industry. He also enjoys an "AV" rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest rating achievable by an attorney based upon surveys of other attorneys and judges, and is listed in its Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.

Mr. Kawachika received his B.A. degree from the University of Hawaii and his J.D. degree from the University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall School of Law). He has worked in both the private and public sectors, starting out as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Hawaii advising the Department of Health in environmental matters.

In 1998, Mr. Kawachika was elected President of the Hawaii State Bar Association. He is also a former chair of the Disciplinary Board of the Hawai'i Supreme Court. He presently serves as a delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates and was recently appointed by the ABA President to the Editorial Board of the ABA-BNA Lawyers Manual on Professional Conduct.

Mr. Kawachika has lectured at the William S. Richardson School of Law on legal ethics and is on the faculty of the Professionalism Course taught to all new admittees of the bar. He presently serves on the committee tasked with reviewing and recommending changes to the Hawai'i Rules of Professional Conduct, the Hawai'i lawyers' code of ethics.

Mr. Kawachika is qualified to practice before all state and federal courts in Hawai'i, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION:

Civil and commercial litigation, including business, real estate, trust, personal injury and professional liability litigation, and arbitrations and mediations.

BAR MEMBERSHIPS:

Hawai'i State and American Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; American Judicature Society

Listed in: "Who's Who in American Law"; "Who's Who in the World"; "Who's Who in the West"; "Who's Who in Finance and Industry". Licensed Realtor, Hawaii, 1990-. Deputy Attorney General, State of Hawaii, 1973-1974. President, Hawaii State Bar Association, 1997-1998. Vice-President/President-Elect, Hawaii State Bar Association, 1996-1997. Treasurer, Hawaii State Bar Association, 1987-1988. Board of Directors, Young Lawyers Section, 1975-1976 and Board of Directors, Hawaii State Bar Association, 1983-1984 and 1991-1993. Chairman, Disciplinary Board of Hawaii Supreme Court, 1991-1997. Member, Board of Bar Examiners, State of Hawaii. Member, Attorney/Client Coordination Committee, Hawaii State Bar Association, 1985-1987. Member, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Hawaii State Bar Association. Arbitrator, Circuit Court Arbitration Program, 1986-. Hawaii Lawyer Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 1988-1991. Member, Hawaii Federal Court Advisory Committee on the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990.