STAND. COM. REP. NO. 662

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 509

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 509, submitting for study and consideration the appointment of: 

First Circuit Court Judge

G.M. No. 509

KEITH HIRAOKA, for a term to expire in 10 years,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the resume and statements submitted by the appointee and finds Keith Hiraoka to possess the requisite qualifications to be considered for appointment to the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii.

     Testimony in support of the appointment of Mr. Hiraoka was submitted by the Department of the Attorney General; Office of the State Public Defender; Retired Judge Karen S.S. Ahn, Circuit Court of the First Circuit; Retired Judge Eden Hifo, Circuit Court of the First Circuit; Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and sixty-one individuals.  Comments regarding the appointee were submitted by the Hawaii State Bar Association Board of Directors.

     Mr. Hiraoka received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and later obtained his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.  He is currently a Managing Partner at Roeca Luria Hiraoka LLP (formerly Roeca, Louie & Hiraoka), where his primary practice areas include professional liability defense (including attorneys, insurance agents, accountants, realtors, and land surveyors), liability insurance coverage, extracontractual counseling, and litigation.  Prior to establishing his own private practice, he was an Associate at Case & Lynch (formerly known as Case, Kay & Lynch).

     Mr. Hiraoka is licensed to practice law in Hawaii and has extensive service in the legal and local community.  He has served in various capacities with the Hawaii State Bar Association, including as Co-Chairperson of the Professional Responsibility and Risk Management Committee, Chairperson of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Section, and Member of the Litigation Section.  He has also served as a Member of the Hawaii Supreme Court Permanent Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure and Circuit Court Civil Rules as well as the United States District Court Hawaii District Conference.  Finally, in his spare time, he has served as Chairperson of the Legal Defense Committee of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association and a coach and referee for the American Youth Soccer Organization.

     Mr. Hiraoka is the recipient of several awards and honors, including being listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Honolulu Magazine for Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law and Professional Malpractice Law since 2011, and achieving a Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory Peer Review Rating AV Preeminent.  He has authored an extensive list of legal publications and law review articles.

     Testimony in support of Mr. Hiraoka's appointment indicates that he is one of the most experienced and well-regarded civil attorneys in the State.  He is able to analyze and explain complicated business, contract, and insurance issues and possesses a solid understanding of the law regarding the underlying claims asserted.  He is collegial, clear, practical, and humble when appearing in court or during mediations.  His diligent work ethic and legal experience have prepared him well to be a fair, compassionate, and effective jurist.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the appointee, has found the appointee to be qualified for the position to which appointed and recommends that the Senate consent to the appointment.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair