With the recent birth of our wonderful daughter, my original idea of living fast and dying young…read moresort of didn't make sense anymore, so I thought maybe living slow and dying really old would be a better way to go now. When you have a kid, suddenly you realize that it matters if you're no longer around and you want to make sure that your little ones are taken care of should you go on that journey to the big farm with lots of room to run around and lots of squirrels to chase and all the other things that my mom said our childhood dog experienced when he mysteriously disappeared one day. So I began researching Estate Planning firms here in Hawaii. I went to a seminar. I started trying to find as much info as I can. There are places to do it online, are they good? I don't know, but I don't trust them. What if I have questions? What if they're not familiar with Hawaii law? I figured I wanted someone local. I called a few places in Oahu (I'm based in Oahu). One place didn't even respond. I called them again, they didn't even bother calling me back. I'm going to leave a review on them. Another place quoted an amount close to $5K for an estate plan with a trust which seemed more than it should. But then after doing searches in google I found Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel and man I'm glad I used these guys. They are based in Big Island and Maui but they also cover Oahu. They are a small office which is what I wanted. John Roth is the founder of the company and if you look at his bio on their website, he's a local Oahu boy and he's got tons of experience with estate planning. Also listed on their page is info on his dad who was a professor at UH with tons of awards and a specialty in estate planning. These guys know their stuff! I expected developing an estate plan would be a huge chore, but it was so easy going and working with John was great. He's extremely easy to work with and he's very calm and low-keyed in a way that I really liked. The seminar I had gone to about estate planning from another company really spent a lot of time scaring me about how much things would cost if I died without an estate plan. John was a lot more matter of fact and reasonable about why an estate plan might help and he really took the time to explain things to us and to also suggest what would be best for our situation. Price was a lot more reasonable than the quote I got from the other place. The logistics of meeting with John was probably the best thing. I was expecting I'd have to take time off of work to meet, but because John is based on another island, you pretty much just contact them through email or phone, and based on John's scheduled visits to Oahu (he comes twice a month or more as his parents still live here), you can book at time at whatever location YOU want to meet. I communicated with his assistant Krystal via email who was very professional and timely. We were able to book a time on a Saturday which was perfect for us and it was at our house which was even better. The first meeting was around an hour and we decided on all the things we wanted. We agreed to do an estate plan. Later I had a few questions so I emailed and got quick responses. After a couple of weeks everything was ready and again we scheduled a time based on when John was back in Oahu. We met during lunch at our house so I could just drive home from work with my wife and an hour later we had all of our documents signed and ready to go. John is also a notary public so all your signatures can be notarized by him which makes things even easier. I can't stress enough how happy we are we used this company. John is a fantastic lawyer and such a nice guy. They're a small company so I felt like they really could give me personal support rather than a company that churns these things out. I had a list from several websites and the seminar I went to about all the things that should be in a good estate plan, and everything was included in our estate plan. It is great peace of mind knowing our daughter will be taken care of!

Hawaii Trust and Estate Counsel set up our living trust and then worked quickly to complete the…read moreforms before we unexpectedly had to be off island. We are very appreciative.

Their free consultation made me feel like they wanted to represent the other part more than me.read more

Eli N Bowman was my lawyer for a DUI charge. Eli was very valuable in defending me. He was there to…read moreguide me through all my appearances in court. I had countless meetings with him discussing my charges, so I completely understood my position. if I ever needed a lawyer again, I would differently call Eli. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing a Lawyer. Sincerely, Ed Emanuel PS: Thank you Eli

By FAR the BEST criminal attorney in Hilo. No one competes. You must pay cash , but he will fight…read morefor you and he will do his job diligently. He is the best there is. Hands down. You pay for what you get.

I was making so many calls to find an attorney and Stanton was the first one to actually listened…read moreto me and gave me hope in my case. Stanton and his team absolutely made me feel like I was being taken care of. Unfortunately, I couldn't work with him through the entirety my case but the other lawyers I worked with spoke highly of him and his work as well. Thank you again for all of your help.

This atty. sucks. Didn't return calls or emails. Never got my claim filed.read more

Had terrible experience with Michael. Started our estate planning with Michael. At some point he…read moredid not return calls,emails, or texts. Then we we asked FB people if they knew a good estate lawyer (did not mention his name) and within hour he message us that he was upset because we were looking for another lawyer.

My attorney Peter Olson was professional, dedicated, and incredibly skilled. His dedication went…read morefar beyond what was expected of him. He made me feel comfortable and took the reins. He fought very hard for my case, was very responsive, and achieved a winning outcome. I would not hesitate to hire him again, and strongly recommend his service to others.

Peter was simply fantastic. From the very beginning he reassured us and was the calm we needed…read morewhen we felt lost and unsure. He kept in contact throughout the process and was always there whenever we needed him. Each time we spoke we truly felt that we were being heard. He took his time to dedicate himself to the facts of the case and delivered in every way we could have hoped for. Even before the outcome, we already referred our dear friends because of how we felt taken care of knowing he would be the same for them in their time of need. Above all we valued his straight forward honesty and professionalism.

lived Kona 43 yrs. heard Joseph Fagundes by many a dear friend ,some legal stressful & difficult…read morenon stop ,situations, civil dispute , police weekly & court dates 8x in 4 mth.called him couple x without hesitation he responded immediately,busy as he is ! professional, quick to the point with advice ! Strait to exact laws I need to know ! done this from a caring heart & yrs. of experience with laws ! genuinely enjoys helping & his insight expert advice ,expected o back ! true sense top of the line confidence given me a peace of mind ! I was married to a cop & learn some laws involved daily unsafe & uncontrollable harassment effects every area of your life ! So TY taking time ,comfort knowing laws ! not about himself or $ top of the line professional career ! goes the extra miles true spirit! " Lawyer means help ! hiring him a legal laws top line advice , appreciate your law spirit .He can top chef ‍cook skills # 10 +‼ ‍

Service and quality Exceptional. The food, ambience, and…read morequality refreshments, knock it out of the park.

Peter and his Staff provided the utmost professional compassionate service. He went above and…read morebeyond to assist us in a critical event we were experiencing and for this my family and I would like to thank you and your awesome staff. Peter you and Staff and assisted me with what I needed without any delay and in doing so we were able to accomplish what we needed. If anyone is looking for an knowledgeable estate planning Attorney with passion and amazing staff look no further!!!!! He will definitely provide you with what you need!!!!

From the owner: I have practiced law in Hilo, my home for 30 years, and love helping local folks to plan and…read moreimplement their estate plans to take care of their families.I take the time to answer all questions, and will be here years from now to assist your family when they are in need.

She handled our dispute with our gym over their discriminatory practices against our autistic son…read more Everything was handled in a timely and professional manner, and ended well for us. Our son is now able to enjoy his gym time happily and without harassment thanks to her.

Without a doubt KARLY is outstanding and very professional and successful she represented me and…read morethe outcome was very satisfied .it's a blessing to have met her .i truly recommend her and wish you the best in case you need her services Thanks Sincerely JUAN

Person who answered my call and my request for family law as they advertise, blew me off and said…read more"they don't have time for that"! Felt very cold. I wouldn't recommend, not because they couldn't help, but because of the lack of professionalism and compassion.

From the owner: The Law Office of Alcain & Naniole, LLLC is a legal team dedicated to your success…read more Francis Alcain, a Hilo DUI/DWI lawyer can assist you with any personal injury or criminal case. Ainoa Naniole, a Hilo Trust attorney can assist you with wills, trusts and estate planning. Contact us today for your free consultation.