Drowning in debt on Oahu? Hawaii bankruptcy can stop the calls — here's who to call first.
Filing bankruptcy in Hawaii puts an automatic stay in place that stops collection calls, wage garnishment, and most lawsuits the moment your case is filed. Most people file Chapter 7, which can wipe out qualifying debt in a few months, or Chapter 13, a three-to-five-year repayment plan. Cases go through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii in Honolulu. The firms below handle consumer Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings.
Honolulu bankruptcy cases are mostly consumer filings: Chapter 7 to discharge credit-card, medical, and other unsecured debt, or Chapter 13 to catch up on a mortgage or car while repaying part of what you owe. Hawaii's high cost of living and the federal means test make eligibility a key early question, and Hawaii's exemption rules decide what you keep. Every firm below has a verifiable Oahu consumer-bankruptcy practice and offers a free consultation.
How we picked these firms: We reviewed peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell), Avvo and Justia ratings, state-bar records, published results where available, and client review patterns. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
These firms were selected from Justia, Super Lawyers, Expertise.com, and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and cross-referenced against Hawaii State Bar records. All consumer cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii in Honolulu.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, debt relief
Why they made the list: Blake Goodman has focused on consumer bankruptcy for more than 20 years, with offices in Honolulu, Aiea, Kaneohe, and on Maui.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13
Why they made the list: Greg Dunn reports more than 25 years of experience and over 13,000 bankruptcy cases handled, with free consultations for Oahu clients.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, debt workouts
Why they made the list: A member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys who emphasizes one-on-one, affordable Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 representation.
Practice focus: Consumer bankruptcy, debt relief
Why they made the list: Martin Berger has more than 20 years of experience and holds the Hawaii Supreme Court's Certificate of Specialization in Consumer Bankruptcy Law.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13
Why they made the list: A bankruptcy team that reports more than 80 years of combined Hawaii bankruptcy experience and over 8,000 clients served.
Practice focus: Bankruptcy, debt relief, creditor issues
Why they made the list: A Honolulu practice offering Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 representation and debt-relief counseling for Hawaii residents.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13
Why they made the list: A Honolulu firm focused on consumer Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings, with a fresh-start emphasis for Oahu families.
Tell us what happened and we'll match you with a vetted bankruptcy firm in Honolulu. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Cases are filed in federal court. Bankruptcy is federal, so Honolulu filings go to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii. Your local lawyer knows that court, its trustees, and its filing practices.
The means test decides Chapter 7. Whether you qualify for Chapter 7 depends on the federal means test, which compares your income to Hawaii's median for your household size. If your income is too high, Chapter 13 may be the path.
Hawaii exemptions protect what you keep. Hawaii lets you choose state or federal exemptions to protect your home, car, retirement accounts, and personal property. Choosing correctly is one of the most important parts of the case.
Two short courses are required. You must complete a credit-counseling course before filing and a debtor-education course before your debts are discharged. Both are brief and inexpensive.
Most Honolulu consumer bankruptcies are handled for a flat fee, quoted after a free consultation. Chapter 13 costs more than Chapter 7 because the case lasts years, but much of that fee can be paid through the repayment plan.
| Fee or cost item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 attorney fee (flat) | Commonly $1,200 to $2,500 for a straightforward consumer case. |
| Chapter 13 attorney fee | Often $3,000 to $4,500, with much of it paid through the repayment plan. |
| Court filing fee — Chapter 7 | $338 (set by the federal court). |
| Court filing fee — Chapter 13 | $313 (set by the federal court). |
| Credit counseling + debtor education | Roughly $10 to $50 for each required course. |
Most bankruptcy attorneys who show up on a Honolulu search are competent. A few are exceptional, and a handful are volume shops. Three checks separate them.
Scope match. A lawyer who handles your exact situation week in and week out is often a better fit than a big-name firm that hands your file to its most junior associate. Match the firm's size and focus to the size and stakes of your matter.
Direct contact. Get the lawyer who will actually do the work on the phone before you sign. If you cannot reach them before they have your signature, that is the level of access you will have for the whole case.
Written terms. Every firm here will give you a written fee agreement. Read it. The fee, the scope, who does the work, and what happens if you switch firms are all in there. Ambiguity on paper is ambiguity for the rest of the matter.
1. Free consultation and budget review. The lawyer reviews your income, debts, and assets to tell you whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 fits and what you would keep.
2. Means test and paperwork. You gather pay records, tax returns, and a list of debts and assets. The firm runs the means test and prepares the petition and schedules.
3. Credit-counseling course. You complete the required pre-filing counseling course, which takes about an hour.
4. Filing and the automatic stay. The moment the case is filed, the automatic stay stops collection calls, garnishment, and most lawsuits.
5. Meeting of creditors and discharge. You attend a short trustee meeting (the 341 hearing). After the debtor-education course, qualifying debts are discharged — a few months in Chapter 7, or at the end of the plan in Chapter 13.
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a win, a dismissal, or an approval, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior name at intake, then never speak to them again while a junior or paralegal runs the file unsupervised. Ask in writing who handles your matter day to day.
Pressure to sign on the spot. A reputable firm hands you the agreement in writing and lets you read it at home. High-pressure intake is the mark of a volume mill.
No verifiable track record. Look for verdicts, results, bar certifications, or peer recognition you can check. "We've helped thousands of clients" is marketing, not evidence.
Vague fees. Every legitimate Honolulu lawyer gives you a written fee agreement stating the structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you change firms.
Most firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring written questions, write down the answers, and compare at least two firms before you sign.
Hiring the lawyer is the start, not the finish. The firms that earn their reputation in Honolulu share a few habits worth holding yours to. They return calls and emails within a day or two, even if the answer is "no news yet." They explain each step before it happens, in plain language, so you are never guessing what comes next. They put the important things in writing, including the fee agreement, the strategy, and any offer, so nothing rests on a hallway conversation you might remember differently later.
Your job matters too. Keep one folder, paper or digital, with every document, bill, letter, and photo connected to your matter. Write down dates and names as things happen, because memory fades and details win cases. Tell your lawyer the bad facts as well as the good ones; surprises that surface later are far more damaging than anything you disclose up front. And be careful what you post on social media, because the other side will look, and a careless post can undercut an otherwise strong case.
If the relationship is not working, you are allowed to change firms. The rules let you switch counsel, and the fee is sorted out between the lawyers rather than charged to you twice. A good fit should leave you feeling informed and in control of your own decisions, not kept in the dark and pushed toward whatever closes the file fastest.
Chapter 7 erases qualifying unsecured debt in a few months. Chapter 13 is a three-to-five-year repayment plan that lets you catch up on a mortgage or car while repaying part of what you owe.
Chapter 7 is commonly a $1,200 to $2,500 flat fee. Chapter 13 often runs $3,000 to $4,500, much of which is paid through the plan. Court filing fees are $338 and $313.
In the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii, the federal court that handles all Hawaii bankruptcy cases.
Often no. Hawaii's exemptions protect a level of home equity, a vehicle, retirement accounts, and personal property. If you are current on secured debt, you can usually keep the asset.
Chapter 7 typically reaches discharge in about three to four months. Chapter 13 lasts three to five years because it is a repayment plan.
No. A filing stays on your report for several years, but many people begin rebuilding credit within a year or two, especially once the debt burden is gone.
It depends on the means test, which compares your income to Hawaii's median. A lawyer can run it in the free consultation and tell you which chapter fits.
Recent pay records, your last two tax returns, a list of debts and who you owe, and a list of major assets like your home and vehicles.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team