Legal Jobs on Kauai? (Honolulu: 2009, lawyer, house)

[Sweetbeet]

I am planning on moving to Kauai either next summer (2008) or the following summer (2009). I'm an attorney here in NY, have been working as a court attorney for the past 15 years, on the civil side for the past 9 years. I am interested in civil litigation and also in trusts and estates, elder law, that sort of stuff. Not really interested in criminal, but I'll do anything else. I'm very good at legal research and writing, and understand the courts, but don't have a lot of experience actually representing people or trying cases.

I'm taking the HI bar in February, so by next summer I'll be admitted to practice there.

Anybody got any ideas on the field of legal employment on Kauai? I have heard that some people feel that more attorneys are needed. I need to make a decent living, but probably not as much ($100K) as I'm earning here. I plan on pounding the pavement when I go out for an extended visit in February, but thought I'd just see if anyone has any ideas or connections that might be helpful. Any Kauai attorneys out there? Are you scraping for clients, or so busy that you can't handle the work? Anyone looking for a partner or associate?

[Yurt]

Good question. CA attorney, wife is an accountant and she wants to move there. I told her I think Oahu had the best chance for jobs/economic reasons. Does anyone know the legal field situation in Honolulu? Or the accountant field?

We live on the central coast, so cost of living is roughly the same there. I have been to HI many times, love it. Spent a year in the MI, but that is too remote.

Any thoughts?

[offgrid]

[Sweetbeet]

My sister was looking at a house the other day, and the seller was complaining about how long it took his lawyer to complete some paperwork... the delay had put him in a bad situation, with the housing market going down. She got the impression that maybe they need more attorneys on Kauai (or at least some who don't take 6 months to do routine paperwork!).

I see LOTS of attorney jobs posted in Honolulu. I think that's where 99% of the 'action' is - I get the impression that even people on the other islands often hire attorneys in Honolulu, either flying there to do their legal business or doing it by phone/fax/mail/etc.

Anyone agree/disagree?

[Yurt]

Originally Posted by Sweetbeet

My sister was looking at a house the other day, and the seller was complaining about how long it took his lawyer to complete some paperwork... the delay had put him in a bad situation, with the housing market going down. She got the impression that maybe they need more attorneys on Kauai (or at least some who don't take 6 months to do routine paperwork!).

I see LOTS of attorney jobs posted in Honolulu. I think that's where 99% of the 'action' is - I get the impression that even people on the other islands often hire attorneys in Honolulu, either flying there to do their legal business or doing it by phone/fax/mail/etc.

Anyone agree/disagree?

I don't live there...YET... but I have seen the same thing you have. I am considering starting on honolulu and then seeing if other options are viable. I am wondering how the job search is going to go, assuming I pass the HI bar next July, from here in Cal. Don't know, but my wife and really want to get there, so something will work out.

[Yurt]

Sweetbeet,

What are you doing with for study prep for the bar? Barbri? If so, I could buy the books when you are done.

Thanks, keep in touch, please.

[Sweetbeet]

This time I'm doing it on my own (I took Bar-Bri 15 years ago for the NY bar, but I don't want to pay for the course this time, and besides, here they only teach for the NY bar, which has a substantial portion of NY-only material). I borrowed books from a friend to study for the MBE subjects. I still don't know how I'm going to prep for the subjects that are tested on the MEE, but are not on the MBE. Now that I've taken the MPRE (last Saturday), I need to get down to some more serious studying for the bar in February.

Sorry, but I don't have any books to sell. If I buy something for the MEE I'll be happy to pass them on when I'm done.