Best Criminal Lawyer in Hawaii

Attorney Victor J. Bakke

Criminal Lawyer

Victor J. Bakke is originally from Seattle where he graduated with honors from the University of Washington in 1988. In 1991, Mr. Bakke graduated from law school at the University of California at Berkeley “Boalt Hall.” Mr. Bakke is licensed to practice law in all State and Federal courts in Hawaii and in Washington State and has also handled Federal cases in California and Nevada.

Prior to focusing his practice on criminal law, Mr. Bakke served as a legal intern for the U.S. Department of Justice in American Samoa, as an extern to U.S. Federal District Court Judge David A. Ezra and as a law clerk to the Honorable Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Yoshimi Hayashi.

Mr. Bakke was also recruited to serve as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu where he served one term under the former and current Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro and a second term under the former Prosecutor and former Mayor of Honolulu, Peter Carlisle.

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During his time as a criminal attorney for the government, Mr. Bakke personally charged, prosecuted and tried thousands of criminal cases. Over the years, Mr. Bakke’s high success rate and outstanding trial skills resulted in his being one of the few attorneys ever to receive the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s highest honor the “Award of Excellence” in 1995.

In 2000, Mr. Bakke joined the law office of Paul J. Cunney where he spent 12 years as the firm’s top trial attorney. Mr. Bakke is not only known for his outstanding trial skills, but he is extremely well known and respected for his uniquely developed and proven strategy for defending those persons accused of sexual assault and other sex related offenses. Mr. Bakke’s high acquittal record and success rate in these and other areas has earned him the reputation as being one of Hawaii’s overall top criminal defense trial lawyers.

Alen M. K. Kaneshiro

Criminal Lawyer

Alen M. K. Kaneshiro was born and raised on the windward side of Oahu. He is proud not only to be locally born, but also locally educated. Alen graduated from Kailua High School, the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received his juris doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law. After graduating, he worked for the Honorable Virginia Lea Crandall before joining the State Office of the Public Defender. Alen founded his private firm in 2010 focusing his practice on criminal defense and personal injury cases.

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Alen has effectively represented thousands of clients charged with criminal offenses in front of judges and juries on Oahu, Maui, Kona and Hilo, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai, resulting in countless dismissals, acquittals and post-trial conviction reversals after appeal. Alen has filed numerous appeals to the Intermediate Court of Appeals of the State of Hawaii and the Hawaii Supreme Court. While primarily focusing on taking cases to trial, he has also negotiated thousands of plea agreements to the benefit of his clients. Alen spends his weekends with family, friends, and at the beach fishing.

Brian Kim

Criminal Lawyer

Education

California Western School of Law, San Diego, California
University of California at Davis
- Major: Economics
- Major: Political Science

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Current Employment Position

Founding member

DAMIR KOULIEV

Criminal Lawyer

Have you been charged or accused with a felony, misdemeanor, or violation in Maui, Kauai, or Hawaii County? Contact Attorney Damir Kouliev now by text, or email, even some nights, weekends and holidays, to affordably help you avoid or minimize convictions and penalties like jail or prison time, probation, fines, community service, and/or a permanent criminal record.

Before the District, Circuit, and Family Courts, he has successfully defended numerous adult and juvenile criminal cases, including drug possession, assault with a weapon, theft, harassment, terroristic threatening, disorderly conduct, violation of protective order, shoplifting, robbery, family abuse, credit card fraud, auto theft, negligent injury, unlawful gun possession, trespassing, burglary, juvenile offenses, probation / parole violation, repeat offender, alcohol possession by minor, jail escape, plus DUI, traffic cases and more.

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Many of Attorney Damir Kouliev’s clients do not reside on the Island where the incident occurred, and have been able to clear up their misdemeanor cases without stepping foot into a courtroom. With our help and mastery of remote processes, you may be able to go back to your state or country of origin, but maintain a firm grasp of your criminal matter. If you’ve already missed your court date, we can re-open the case and avoid additional contempt charges.

Attorney Damir Kouliev provides far more personal attention and flexibility than a Public Defender, at reasonable rates. He accepts all major credit cards and works with your budget and circumstances to put your mind at ease, negotiating a favorable plea bargain using available methods of keeping your record clean.

Myles S. Breiner

Criminal Lawyer

Navigating the legal system can be frustrating and confusing. Whether you are seeking strong defense against criminal charges or compensation for injuries, I have the knowledge and resources to assist you in achieving justice, providing you with a reliable Legal Service in Honolulu, Hawaii.

My prosecution and defense experience gives me a solid understanding of what it takes to put together a strong defense against any criminal allegation. I focus on your individual needs and strive to achieve the most effective resolution for your situation.

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I received my law degree from the University of San Francisco, and my bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, in my birthplace of Ann Arbor, Michigan. I have lived in Hawaii for more than 30 years and consider it my home. I enjoy outdoor activities, such as surfing and rock climbing, and spending time with my wife and twin boys.

I represent clients throughout the state of Hawaii Islands in criminal defense, family law, personal injury, and civil rights issues. After previously living in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, I am also fluent in Mandarin. I have had the opportunity to defend numerous individuals in high-profile cases. To learn more about my approach, I invite you to view my media coverage page.

Michael Fayard

Criminal Lawyer

There are two sides to every case—offense and defense. Attorney Michael Fayard has fought for both, which gives your case a strong advantage. Being a former prosecutor in Florida and Hawaii, creating a game plan for the offense became second nature to Michael. Now as a defense attorney, he knows the plays and techniques they’ll try and use against you, and he uses this to his advantage

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To say that going to court and facing hearings are ‘stressful’ would be an understatement. The uncertainty of the legal process, the unknowns, and the sheer time it takes can weigh heavy. A bad result can impose on your life, negatively impact your reputation, and cause you additional stress if (and more likely when) your friends, family, and coworkers find out about your charges. With this in mind, Attorney Michael Fayard works towards your best result without the unnecessary delay that comes with other inexperienced lawyers. He puts his unique knowledge of the prosecutorial process to work, grinds the state down, and forces their hand to resolve the case with the best result and as quickly as possible.

Birney B. Bervar

Criminal Lawyer

Birney Bervar has been practicing in the field of criminal law since 1983. Mr. Bervar graduated Phi Beta Kappa in Accounting from the University of Washington in 1981, and received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984. Mr. Bervar worked as a student public defender in Washington D.C., while he completed his last year at Georgetown Law Center.

After graduation from law school, Mr. Bervar served five years as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office in Tacoma, Washington. Mr. Bervar was a felony trial prosecutor on all types of cases ranging from theft and fraud, to assault and first degree murder. As a prosecutor, Mr. Bervar handled all the county’s felony Vehicular Homicide and Assault cases, and taught prosecution skills to other prosecutors in the State of Washington.

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Mr. Bervar moved to Hawaii in 1989 to work as an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the District of Hawaii. Mr. Bervar was an Assistant Federal Public Defender from 1989 to 1993 representing people charged with federal crimes who could not afford to retain an attorney. As an Assistant Federal Public Defender, Mr. Bervar was the trial attorney for a number of high profile and complex cases.

Since 1993, Mr. Bervar has been in private practice in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he continues to concentrate on the defense of criminal cases in federal and state courts. Mr. Bervar has successfully defended hundreds of people and businesses accused of criminal offenses from minor traffic charges to federal death penalty cases. In 2002, Mr. Bervar became a founding partner of Bervar & Jones, a law firm which offers legal services in a variety of areas.

Steve Cedillos

Criminal Lawyer

Steve Cedillos received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications at the University of Hawaii, after which he studied at the University of Southern California, School of Professional Writing, where he focused on film and production. For his legal education, Mr. Cedillos studied at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree. Over the course of a legal career spanning more than 30 years, this skilled lawyer in Honolulu has represented countless clients in criminal defense and family law cases of all types.

When you hire Steve Cedillos to represent your case, you will be giving yourself the benefit of having a dedicated personal advocate on your side. Mr. Cedillos takes a sincere interest in the success of his clients because he recognizes just how much you have at stake. Whether you stand accused of committing a crime or are preparing to file for divorce, the outcome of your case will most likely have a major impact on your future. Mr. Cedillos knows that you are counting on him to get the best possible result for the situation, and will work tirelessly on your behalf.

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Whenever possible, he seeks to help his clients negotiate an uncontested divorce, but does not hesitate to take the case to court when necessary to achieve the result that his client deserves. Furthermore, he addresses other family law issues including domestic violence protective orders, paternity actions for child support or visitation rights, and petitions for grandparents’ rights to visitation.

Contact the Law Offices of Steve Cedillos Now

Steve Cedillos currently holds membership in the Hawaii State Bar and is also a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild. In recent years, he has been a member of AFTRA, a distinguished performer’s union, though AFTRA has recently merged with the Screen Actor’s Guild to provide even stronger protections for media artists as SAG-AFTRA. Attorney Cedillos also held a Real Estate License and a broadcast license.

MARC J. VICTOR

Criminal Lawyer

Marc J. Victor is a certified Criminal Law Specialist by The Arizona Board of Legal Specialization and is admitted in Arizona & Hawai‘i. Marc has been zealously representing clients in serious state and federal criminal law matters for well over twenty-five years.

Marc has represented clients in more than a thousand major felony cases including first and second-degree murder, sex cases, gun cases, major drug cases, complex white-collar cases, federal appeals, high-profile civil rights, personal injury, and other complex state and federal matters.

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His jury trial experience includes several murder trials including death eligible matters as well as complex sex and drug cases including both state and federal courts. During his career, Marc has successfully represented clients in many high-profile and media attention cases, including his representation of  Elizabeth Johnson in the nationally televised “Baby Gabriel” case.  He has twice debated Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery on the drug war and has also successfully argued before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

As a long-time freedom activist, Marc is regularly invited to speak to audiences across Arizona on a variety of issues including ending the drug war, the rights of gun owners, the free market, criminal justice issues as well as a variety of other criminal law-related issues. Most recently, Marc has spoken on the Live and Let Live Principle, the foundation upon which he has established The World’s Only Real Peace Movement.

Paradise Found, Legal Woes Abound: Why You Need a Top-Tier Criminal Lawyer in Hawaii

Even in paradise, legal troubles can arise. Facing criminal charges in Hawaii can feel like getting caught in a rip current – disorienting, pulling you out to sea, and demanding a skilled navigator to get you back to shore. The criminal justice system can be complex and unforgiving. Here’s why securing a top-tier criminal lawyer in Hawaii is crucial for protecting your freedom and achieving the best possible outcome:

1. Unmatched Knowledge of Hawaii’s Criminal Law:

Hawaii has its own unique set of criminal codes, statutes, and court decisions. A top-tier criminal lawyer licensed in Hawaii possesses an in-depth understanding of these nuances, allowing them to:

Decode the Legal Landscape: They can meticulously analyze your case within the framework of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) and interpret key court rulings that may influence the prosecution’s strategy and your potential defenses.
Stay Current on Legal Developments: The legal landscape is constantly evolving. Your lawyer actively monitors changes in Hawaii criminal law, ensuring your defense strategy reflects the most up-to-date legal principles and leverages any recent rulings that could benefit your case.
Identify Location-Specific Issues: Hawaiian counties or cities may have their own local ordinances or procedures. Your lawyer’s deep understanding of the state’s legal landscape allows them to identify any potential location-specific issues that could impact your case.

2. Championing Your Rights in the Aloha State:

The foundation of the criminal justice system lies in your fundamental rights. Top-tier criminal lawyers in Hawaii are dedicated to safeguarding these rights throughout your legal journey:

Understanding Your Rights in Hawaii: They ensure you fully comprehend your Miranda rights (right to remain silent and right to an attorney), as well as other crucial legal protections under Hawaii law.
Ensuring Due Process under Hawaii Law: Your lawyer meticulously reviews all legal procedures to guarantee you receive fair treatment under the law, adhering to the established principles of due process within the Hawaii judicial system. (https://courtselfhelp.idaho.gov/)

3. Building a Strategic Defense Through Meticulous Investigation:

A top criminal lawyer in Hawaii doesn’t just react; they proactively build a strong case for you:

Thorough Case Assessment: They will meticulously analyze the details of your case, assess the strength of the evidence against you, and identify any weaknesses or inconsistencies. This meticulous preparation increases your chances of a favorable outcome.

4. Negotiation and Plea Bargaining: Seeking the Best Possible Outcome:

Reaching a favorable plea agreement can be a viable option in many cases. Top-tier criminal lawyers possess exceptional negotiation skills and can use their understanding of Hawaii law to advocate for you effectively:

Skilled Negotiation for Favorable Resolutions: They have strong negotiation skills and can work towards securing the best possible plea bargain agreement on your behalf, potentially saving you time and emotional stress associated with a lengthy court case.

5. Courtroom Advocacy: Powerful Representation When Needed:

If your case goes to trial, having a seasoned lawyer by your side is crucial:

Experienced Trial Lawyers: The best criminal lawyers in Hawaii have extensive courtroom experience, including knowledge of trial procedures, effective presentation skills, and the ability to cross-examine witnesses. They will fight vigorously to defend your rights and interests in the courtroom.

6. Understanding the Local Legal Landscape:

Every jurisdiction has its own quirks and processes. Here in Hawaii, top criminal lawyers possess this local knowledge:

Familiarity with Hawaii’s Legal System: They understand the nuances of Hawaii’s legal system, including local judges, prosecutors, and court practices. This familiarity can be advantageous in building an effective defense strategy and navigating the legal process smoothly.

7. Emotional Support and Guidance During a Difficult Time:

Legal matters can be emotionally challenging. Top lawyers understand this and can provide the necessary emotional support:

Understanding and Empathy: They can help you navigate through the process with confidence, providing a steady and supportive presence during a stressful time.