KENNETH KUPCHAK, ESQ.

    PANEL LOCATION

    All neutrals on the DPR Panel are willing to travel to the neighbor islands and the mainland. If you have any questions, please contact DPR at (808) 523-1234

    Damon, Key, Bocken, Leong & Kupchak

    Mr. Kupchak is a graduate of Cornell University (A.B. Chemistry 1964), Pennsylvania State University (B.S. Meteorology 1965) and Cornell University (J.D. 1971).

    For more than 20 years, Mr. Kupchak’s practice has centered on all aspects of construction law, from international joint ventures to complex multi-party litigation, and the acquisition of three of the Pacific Basin’s leading contractors. In 1994, he was appointed to the Steering Committee for the Dispute and Avoidance Resolution Division of the American Bar Association’s Construction Industry Forum. Mr. Kupchak has been a member of the AAA’s panel of arbitrators since the early 1980’s and a member of the Judiciary’s panel of arbitrators since the inception of their mandatory arbitration program. He has also been a faculty member for the AAA’s International Arbitration Training Seminars and has chaired the arbitration breakout session at the 1995 and 1996 annual meetings of Commercial Law Affiliates, a worldwide organization of independent business and litigation law firms. In 1992, he and DKBLK colleague, Michael Yoshida, co-authored the Hawaii chapter in the Wiley Construction Series’ two volume Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law book.

    Presently Mr. Kupchak is the coordinator for the Hawaii chapter in three ABA fifty state construction publications dealing with design/build, public and private construction law. Following receipt of both chemistry and meteorology degrees, Ken served as the general staff weather briefing officer in Saigon. (As chair of the Hawaii Commission on Memorials for Veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars and as a director of the Air Force Association’s Hawaii Chapter, Ken has continued his interest in the armed forces and veterans.) After serving on the Cornell Law Review and clerking with major law firms on Wall Street and in Los Angeles, he received his J.D. with specializations in international affairs. Mr. Kupchak serves on the Boards of Fletcher General Inc., Washington, Dinwiddie Construction Company, California, and Fletcher Construction Company USA, Delaware.

    Mr. Kupchak represents numerous developers, architects, contractors and subcontractors. He has also been a adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law in International Business transactions with special focus on the use of arbitration. He previously also served as chief minority counsel in the Hawaii House of Representatives and as the legislature coordinator for the Hawaii State Association of Counties. In representing planned community developers, Mr. Kupchak has won significant state supreme court decisions invalidating initiative as a land use tool and clarifying due process rights with respect to aesthetic and environmental interests. For 10 years he was a member of the Statewide Advisory Committee for the Coastal Zone Management Program and chaired its agenda committee.

    Mr. Kupchak is a member of the American Bar Association, Steering Committee, Dispute and Avoidance Resolution Division, Construction Industry Forum; Hawaii State Bar Association; American Arbitration Association (Panel of Arbiters and training faculty); and International Bar Association.

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