Hawaii is an at-will state, but it also gives workers some of the broadest protections in the country, so a firing that feels wrong may well be illegal here. You cannot be fired because of a protected characteristic, for reporting unlawful conduct, for taking protected leave, or in violation of clear public policy, and Hawaii's anti-discrimination law reaches more categories than federal law does. Most of the employee-side firms below will tell you on a free call whether your termination crossed a line. Every firm here has a verifiable Honolulu employment practice confirmed across at least two independent sources.
Updated December 26, 202511 min readEditorially independent
Wrongful termination has a specific meaning in Hawaii. Because the state follows at-will employment, being fired unfairly is not the same as being fired illegally. A termination is wrongful when it violates a law, a contract, or public policy, for example, firing you because of your race, sex, age, disability, religion, ancestry, or other protected status, in retaliation for a discrimination complaint or a workers' comp claim, for taking leave you were entitled to, or for refusing to break the law. Hawaii's Employment Practices law and the Whistleblowers' Protection Act give workers here real leverage, and a good employment lawyer's first job is to tell you honestly which side of that line your firing falls on.
Cost is usually not a barrier on the employee side. Most Honolulu plaintiff-side employment firms take wrongful-termination cases on contingency, commonly around a third of any recovery, and front the case costs, so you pay nothing up front. Some matters, such as reviewing or negotiating a severance package, are handled hourly, often $300 to $500 an hour given Hawaii's cost of practice. Employers on the other side retain defense counsel hourly, and a couple of firms below, including one of Honolulu's established management-side labor practices, do that work.
Deadlines apply and are easy to miss. Discrimination-based terminations usually require a charge with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within a set window before you can sue, and other claims carry their own statutes of limitation. The practical advice is always the same: if you think your firing was illegal, get a consultation quickly, even before you decide whether to pursue it. Every firm below was confirmed across at least two independent sources, including Super Lawyers, Justia, Avvo, Expertise.com, and FindLaw, and each maintains a real Honolulu employment practice.
How we picked these 10: We cross-referenced peer rankings and directories (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, Expertise.com, FindLaw) and each firm's own published practice pages. Every firm below appeared in at least two independent sources and has a verifiable Honolulu-area wrongful termination practice. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
Bickerton Law Group LLLP
Honolulu, HIPlaintiff trial firmConsultation available
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, employment disputes, civil litigation
Bickerton Law Group is a Honolulu plaintiff's trial firm whose dedicated wrongful-termination attorneys represent employees who have lost their jobs unjustly, mindful of the financial strain that follows. The firm pairs employment work with a broad civil-litigation practice.
Why they made the list: An established Honolulu plaintiff's trial firm with the courtroom resources to take a termination case the distance.
Honolulu, HI20+ years employee-sideConsultation available
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, retaliation, whistleblower, employment law
Shawn A. Luiz has practiced for more than 20 years, representing Hawaii workers in employment, appeals, and civil matters, and has spent that time seeking compensation for wrongfully terminated employees. The practice covers wrongful-termination retaliation and whistleblower claims.
Why they made the list: Two decades of employee-side employment work with a focus on termination, retaliation, and whistleblower cases.
Honolulu, HISuper Lawyers listedConsultation available
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower
Roman Amaguin is named to the Hawaii Super Lawyers list and litigates claims involving wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower protection, along with related tort and privacy matters, for Honolulu employees.
Why they made the list: A Super Lawyers-recognized employee-side litigator covering the full range of wrongful-termination and retaliation claims.
Honolulu, HICivil rights & employmentConsultation available
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, civil rights
Fujiwara & Rosenbaum is a Honolulu civil-rights firm that represents whistleblowers and employees facing unlawful discrimination, using both federal and Hawaii anti-discrimination law. Attorney Joseph T. Rosenbaum has trial experience and is recognized for employment and civil-rights work.
Why they made the list: A civil-rights firm with real trial experience, strong on whistleblower-retaliation and discrimination terminations.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, wage disputes
HKM Employment Attorneys operates a Honolulu office focused on representing employees in wrongful-termination, discrimination, retaliation, and wage matters. The firm is part of a national employee-side employment practice.
Why they made the list: A dedicated employee-side employment firm with a national platform and a local Honolulu presence.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, employment law
The Law Offices of Alex M. Sonson is a Honolulu employment firm dedicated to protecting employees across Hawaii in wrongful-termination, discrimination, and harassment matters, and offers a free consultation.
Why they made the list: An employee-protection practice serving workers across Hawaii, with a no-cost first call.
Honolulu, HIEmployment practiceConsultation available
Practice focus: Employment law, wrongful termination, discrimination
Sapolu Law Office is a Honolulu firm with an employment practice that represents workers in wrongful-termination and discrimination matters under Hawaii and federal law.
Why they made the list: A Honolulu employment practice for workers who want focused representation on a termination or discrimination claim.
Honolulu, HIManagement-side, Super LawyersConsultation available
Practice focus: Labor and employment defense, wrongful-discharge defense, compliance
Torkildson Katz is a long-established Honolulu labor and employment firm representing employers. Director Joseph A. Ernst, a Hawaii Super Lawyers honoree, counsels and defends employers in wrongful-discharge, discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and retaliation matters.
Why they made the list: Listed for the employer side: an established Honolulu management-side firm for companies defending a discharge claim.
Honolulu, HITrial experienceConsultation available
Practice focus: Employment discrimination, wrongful termination, civil litigation
The Law Offices of Scot Stuart Brower handle employment discrimination and wrongful-termination matters in Honolulu, and the founding attorney has tried discrimination cases in state and federal court, including before the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Why they made the list: A trial-tested employment practice for discrimination terminations that may need to be litigated, not just settled.
Honolulu, HIEmployee-side, OahuConsultation available
Practice focus: Discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, harassment
Remillard Huynh & Barbour is a Honolulu firm representing Oahu employees in discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful-termination disputes under Hawaii and federal law.
Why they made the list: An Oahu employee-side firm covering discrimination and retaliation terminations across the island.
Tell us how and why you were let go, and we will connect you with a Honolulu wrongful termination attorney for a consultation. No cost, no obligation.
How to choose between them in Honolulu
Be clear about employee versus employer. Most firms here represent workers; firms like Torkildson Katz primarily defend employers. Pick the side you are on, because the same firm cannot represent both.
Confirm the fee structure. Employee-side firms usually work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless they win. Severance reviews are often hourly. Get the structure, and who covers costs, in writing.
Ask whether your firing crossed a legal line. Hawaii is at-will, but its protections are broad. A good first call tells you honestly whether your termination violated a law, a contract, or public policy.
Move before the deadline. Discrimination claims usually need a Hawaii Civil Rights Commission or EEOC charge within a set window. Even if you are undecided, an early consultation protects your options.
What wrongful termination help typically costs in Honolulu
What a wrongful-termination lawyer costs in Honolulu depends on which side you are on and how the case is handled. Typical structures:
Contingency fee: Most employee-side firms take a percentage of any recovery, often around one third, and charge nothing if you do not win. You pay nothing up front.
Case costs: Filing fees, depositions, and experts are often advanced by the firm and repaid from any recovery. Ask whether you owe them if the case is lost.
Severance review: Reviewing or negotiating a severance package is commonly billed hourly, often $300 to $500 an hour in Honolulu, or sometimes a flat fee.
Employer defense: Employers pay hourly for defense, and a contested wrongful-discharge case can run from several thousand dollars into the tens of thousands.
Administrative charge: Filing with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission or the EEOC is free and does not require a lawyer, though one helps frame the charge.
Get the fee percentage or hourly rate, the cost terms, and what happens if you lose, in writing, before you sign.
How long it takes
A wrongful-termination matter moves through stages, and the early ones carry deadlines:
Consultation: You walk the attorney through the firing and learn whether it may have been illegal and whether you are still in time. Often within days of your call.
Administrative charge: Discrimination and retaliation claims usually start with a charge to the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission or the EEOC, filed within the deadline. The agency investigates.
Right to sue and filing: After the agency process you may get a right-to-sue notice and can file suit. This can take several months from the original charge.
Discovery and resolution: Most cases settle in discovery or mediation; the few that go to trial can take a year or more. Your lawyer should give you a realistic range.
Red flags to watch for when hiring a wrongful termination lawyer in Honolulu
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a win, a number, or a court ruling, walk away.
The disappearing senior partner. You meet a named partner at intake, then never hear from them again while an unsupervised junior runs the file. Ask in writing who handles your matter day to day.
Pressure to sign on the spot. Reputable firms give you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a volume-mill signal.
No verifiable track record. Look for named results, peer rankings, board certifications, or bar recognition — not "we have helped thousands of clients."
Vague fees. Every legitimate firm will put the fee structure, what is covered, and what triggers extra charges in a written engagement letter.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most of the firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial call. Use it. Bring a written list and write down the answers, then compare across two or three firms before you sign anything.
Who, specifically, will handle my matter day to day? Get a name and a direct email, not just the firm.
How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the structure in writing before you sign.
What out-of-pocket costs am I responsible for, and when? Filing fees, records, and experts add up - ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes? A good lawyer gives a range; a weak one promises the high end.
How long will this take? An honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
What is my deadline, and is it at risk? Many wrongful termination matters carry hard filing deadlines.
How often will I hear from you? Set the communication cadence now.
What can I do to help my own case? The best lawyers will give you homework.
What is the worst-case outcome? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
What to bring to your Honolulu consultation
You will get more out of the first call if you arrive organized. For most wrongful termination matters, gather:
A short written timeline. Dates, names, and what happened, in order.
The key documents. Any contracts, letters, agreements, court orders, or filings you have received.
Your correspondence. Relevant emails, texts, or messages - and do not delete anything.
Any deadlines you know about. A court date, a signing deadline, or an agency notice.
Your questions. The 10 above are a good place to start.
If you are not sure whether something is relevant, bring it anyway. It is easier for a lawyer to set aside what does not matter than to chase down what you left at home.
Talk to a vetted Wrongful Termination attorney in Honolulu
Tell us about your situation. We'll match you with one of these firms or a similar one. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about wrongful termination lawyers in Honolulu
Can I sue if I was fired in Hawaii?
Only if the firing was illegal, not merely unfair. Hawaii is at-will, but its protections are broad, so you generally can sue when you were fired for a protected reason, in retaliation, or in violation of a contract or public policy.
Do I pay a wrongful-termination lawyer up front in Honolulu?
Usually not on the employee side. Most firms work on contingency and charge no attorney fee unless they recover money. Severance reviews may be hourly. Confirm the terms before signing.
How long do I have to file a claim in Hawaii?
Discrimination-based terminations usually require a charge with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission or the EEOC within a set window. Other claims have their own deadlines, so talk to a lawyer quickly.
What protections does Hawaii give beyond federal law?
Hawaii's employment-practices law bars discrimination on more grounds than federal law, and the state Whistleblowers' Protection Act guards workers who report unlawful conduct. These give Hawaii employees added leverage.
Should I sign a severance agreement before talking to a lawyer?
It is worth a quick review first. A severance agreement often asks you to waive claims, and an attorney can tell you what you are giving up and whether the terms are fair before you sign.
What can I recover in a wrongful-termination case?
Depending on the facts, recovery can include back pay, front pay, emotional-distress damages, and sometimes attorney fees. A lawyer can estimate a realistic range after reviewing your case.
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
LawFirmSquare is a directory. We do not represent clients or refer cases for a fee.
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