Attorney Profiles
William Harrison
Criminal Defense Attorney, founding partner
- Trial experience – federal, state, and military criminal defense attorney
- Credentials – over 25 years experience in federal, state, and appellate courts
- Accolades and awards – recognitions earned, leadership roles, and guest spot on TV
- Pro bono activities – voluntary legal service for local organizations in Hawaii
- Professional associations and memberships – affiliated with legal networks
- Community associations and memberships – teaching roles and background
Call: (808) 523-7041
Toll-free: (888) 381-9611
Fax: (808) 538-7579
Email
Trial experience
- Federal criminal defense experience concentrating on drug offenses, white-collar and fraud offenses, crimes of violence, federal gun charges, computer crimes, grand jury representation, corporate and business defense, money laundering, and racketeering.
- State criminal defense experience concentrating on murder, vehicular homicides, drug offenses, sex crimes, white-collar and fraud offenses, crimes of violence, and property crimes.
- Military criminal defense experience concentrating on drug offenses, crimes of violence, sex crimes, theft, and fraud crimes.
- Constitutional law background with a focus on constitutional amendment rights as a defense to various criminal charges.
Credentials
Licensed since:
- 1981 Hawaii
- 1981 U.S. District Court District of Hawaii
- 1982 New Jersey
- 1982 U.S. District Court District of New Jersey
- 1982 U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- 1985 U.S. Supreme Court
- 1993 U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
Degree accreditation:
- 1977 B.A. University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii
- 1981 J.D. University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law, Honolulu, Hawaii
- 1981 M.A. University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii
Educational honors:
- 1980 Law Review: University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law, Honolulu, Hawaii
Awards and accolades
Professional recognitions
- Best Lawyers in America 2006, 2007, 2008
- Hawaii's Best Lawyers, Honolulu Magazine 2007
- Hawaii Super Lawyers 2008
- Martindale-Hubbell AV-Rated for ethical standards and legal ability
- Martindale-Hubbell Registry of Preeminent Lawyers 2003 to present
- Outstanding Lawyers of America
- Who's Who in American Law, 2003 to present
State and federal government task forces, commissions, and committees
- Chair: Judicial Selection Commission, State of Hawaii 1994 - 1995
- Lawyer select: State Judicial Conference 1991 - 1994
- Litigation committee: ACLU of Hawaii 2002 to present
- Member: Lt. Governor's Hawaii Drug Control Strategy Task Force, 2004 to present
- Member: Task Force on Charging Procedures, Twenty-First Legislature 2003
- Member: Hawaii Supreme Court Permanent Committee on Rules of Penal Procedure and Circuit Court Criminal Rules
- Member: Act 59 Task Force to Consider Proposals to Revise Hawaii's Community Notification or "Megan's Law" 2003 - 2004
- Attendee: United States Courts Judicial Conference 2004 - 2005
Television appearances
- Legal Television Commentator: KHNL News 8
Pro bono activities
- Delegate: Hawaii Democratic Party State Convention 1988 - 2008
- Former Legal Redress Officer: NAACP Hawaii Chapter
- Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Coach of the Year: Wrestling 1990 - 1991
- Litigation Committee Member: ACLU of Hawaii
- Past President and Founding Member: Afro-American Lawyers Association
- President of the Board: Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline 1991 - 1992
Professional associations and memberships
Leadership positions
- Board of Governors: The Association of Plaintiffs Lawyers of Hawaii 1989 - 1990
- Bencher: American Inns of Court IV, Hawaii
- Executive Committee: International Legal Fraternity of Phi Delta Phi - Richardson Inn 1979 – 1981
Professional memberships
- Hawaii State Bar Association 1981 to present
- New Jersey State Bar Association 1982 to present
- Hawaii Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers ("NACDL")
- The Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- The Association of Plaintiffs Lawyers of Hawaii 1989 - 1990
- American Bar Association
- American Society of Law and Medicine
Community associations and memberships
Lecturing activities
- Adjunct professor: "Hawaii Innocence Project", University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law
- Faculty member: National Institute of Trial Advocates ("NITA")
- Faculty member: National Business Institute Legal Seminars
- Lecturer: Trial Advocacy Program, Public Defender State of Hawaii
- Peoples Law School: American Trial Lawyers Association
Fraternities/sororities
- Phi Delta Phi
Birth information
- October 13, 1953, Beppu, Japan
Keith A. Matsuoka
Business and Land Use Lawyer
Partner
- Areas of practice – business, commercial, land-use, and construction lawyer
- Litigation percentage – about 10 percent of practice devoted to litigation
- Bar admissions – licensed to practice in state, federal, and appellate courts
- Education – degree accreditation includes B.B.A. and J.D.
- Professional associations and memberships – affiliated with legal networks
Call: (808) 523-7041
Toll-free: (888) 381-9611
Fax: (808) 538-7579
Email
- 10% of practice devoted to litigation
- 1983 J.D. Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, California
- 1980 B.B.A. University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii
Professional associations and memberships
- Member: Hawaii State Bar Association – Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section
- Member: American Bar Association – Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section
- Treasurer: Associated Students of the University of Hawaii, 1978 - 1979
- October 20, 1958, Carmel, California, United States of America
Gene K. Lau
Civil Litigation and Insurance Defense Attorney
Of Counsel
- Areas of practice – civil litigation and insurance defense
- Litigation percentage – about 60 percent of practice devoted to litigation
- Bar admissions – licensed to practice in the state of Hawaii
- Education – degree accreditation includes B.S. and J.D.
- Professional associations and memberships – professional affiliations
Call: (808) 523-7041
Toll-free: (888) 381-9611
Fax: (808) 538-7579
Email
- 60% of practice devoted to litigation
- Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, California, 1982 J.D.
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 1978 B.S.
Professional associations and memberships
- Member: Hawaii State Bar Association
- September 9, 1955, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
Hawaii-based lawyers with national and international reach
We serve clients throughout Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island of Hawaii. Our attorneys are licensed to practice in state, federal, military, and appellate courts. We have also been admitted to the bar in Hawaii, New Jersey, California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. We have traveled into international jurisdictions to represent clients, as far as Japan, the Philippines, and New Zealand.
