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.
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Can a Hawaii lawyer accept credit card payments for fees, and how must trust and earned funds be separated?
The opinion concludes that a lawyer may accept credit cards for legal fees and expenses, but unearned retainers and flat fees must go intact into a trust account while earned fees may not, so the lawy…
When can a lawyer disclose a deceased client's confidential information?
The opinion concludes that an attorney may disclose a deceased client's confidential information when the disclosure is impliedly authorized to carry out the representation, for example, where the att…
Can a lawyer hold a client's papers and property as a retaining lien until unpaid fees are paid?
The opinion concludes that, until retaining liens are explicitly recognized by Hawaii law, a lawyer's assertion of a retaining lien against a client's or former client's papers and property would viol…
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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.