Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court Ethics Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court, with full citations and source links on every page.
No Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court opinions match these filters
Try a different search term or clear the filters.
When can a lawyer or firm use the title 'of counsel' on letterhead, cards, and ads?
The opinion concludes that using the title 'of counsel' (and variants such as 'special counsel,' 'tax counsel,' or 'senior counsel') is permissible only where the relationship between the lawyer or fi…
Can a lawyer employed by an insurance company use a firm name that makes the practice look like an independent law firm?
The opinion concludes that an attorney who is an employee of an insurance company may not use a firm name, letterhead, or designation that states or implies an independent law firm; doing so violates …
Are a lawyer's website, domain name, and email subject to the advertising rules, and can a lawyer email prospective clients?
The opinion concludes that communications about a lawyer's services on a web site are advertising and are subject to HRPC 7.1, 7.2, 7.4, and 7.5, covering domain names, web and email addresses, banner…
Can a lawyer donate legal services to be auctioned at a charity fundraiser, and on what conditions?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer may donate legal services to a charity or nonprofit to be auctioned to the highest bidder, provided the lawyer is competent in the donated service, the service and …
Browse Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court opinions by topic
Legal ethics opinions from the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court interpret the rules of professional conduct for working lawyers, in response to inquiries from members and committees. They are not binding like court discipline decisions, but courts and discipline boards treat formal opinions as substantial guidance on how the rules apply. Every opinion above has a plain-English question and short answer, plus a link to the original source on the bar's site.