OVERVIEW

Joseph Fagundes, III has represented both individuals and business entities in civil litigation before all the Federal and State Courts of the State of Hawaii as well as before the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, California. He has substantial experience with all facets of admiralty, real estate, and business law, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and civil litigation.

His success in advocating for clients before the State and Federal Courts in Hawaii is well established; although the true measure of effective representation is that the great majority of his client's disputes are resolved without the necessity of judicial intervention.  We at Kona Law believe that filing expensive and time consuming lawsuits is always the option of last resort.

Representative clients, domestic and international, range from individual real estate investors to multinational companies as well as maritime and liability insurance carriers. Our clients include individuals, business entities, charter airlines, charter vessel corporations, agricultural concerns and retail businesses.

BACKGROUND

Joe Fagundes has served as President of the West Hawaii Bar Association and is a past Member of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii State Bar Association. Presently Mr. Fagundes sits as a Court appointed arbitrator in tort and accident cases, as a Judge on the Teen Court of Hawaii County and has recently been appointed as a Hearings Officer for the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Ocean Boating and Recreation.

As a resident of the Big Island for over thirty-eight years, Mr. Fagundes has contributed many hundreds of hours of professional time as a pro bono attorney to assist individuals and community organizations in need of, but unable to afford, competent legal counsel.

Mr. Fagundes was born in Modesto, California in 1953. A resident of Hawaii since 1956, he graduated from St. Louis High School in Honolulu in 1971. He was awarded his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, at Berkeley in 1976 and he received his Juris Doctor degree from The University of Hawaii, Richardson School of Law in 1980.

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Legal Affiliations

• Hawaii State Bar Association: Member since 1980, member board of directors 1988 to 1991
• West Hawaii Bar Association: Member since 1980, director 1983 to 1988, President 1987-1988
• Legal Aid Society of Hawaii: Board member 1987 to 1989
• West Hawaii Law Clinic: Founder/Supervising Attorney, 1988 to 1990
• State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Ocean Boating and Recreation: Hearing Officer, 2009 to present
• Big Island Teen Court Judge 1995-1998
• Court Annexed Arbitration Program: Court Appointed Arbitrator, 1982 to present
• Court Certified Expert (Hawaii) in Legal Ethics
• Court Certified Expert (Fiji) in American Admiralty Law
• Insurance Industry Appointed Arbitrator on Valuation of Vessels
• Court Appointed Commissioner of real property foreclosure sales 1984 to present
• William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association: Member, director 1982 to 1983
• Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity, Barrister Division: 1980 to present
• University of California, Berkeley Alumni Association: Member
• Who's Who in American Law: Biographical listing, 1990 to present

Community Affiliations

• Kealakehe Intermediate School Community Council 2008-2010
• Honokohau Marina Board: past officer and director
• Bridge House (Substance Recovery Program): co-founder and board member 1990 to 1992

Admissions

• Hawaii State Bar, 1980
• United States District Court, District of Hawaii,1980
• United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1983

Education

• B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1976
• J.D., University of Hawaii, Richardson School of Law, 1980