ALSTON HUNT FLOYD & ING

Paul Alston graduated from the University of Southern California Law School in 1971, after serving as an editor of the Law Review. He then became a law clerk to the Hon. Walter Ely on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In 1972, Mr. Alston went to work for the Legal Aid Society of Hawai’i, as one of its staff attorneys in Wai’anae. After two years, Mr. Alston became the Society’s litigation director and gained much experience in handling complex litigation in state and federal court.

In 1977, Mr. Alston started the law firm of Paul Johnson & Alston. In 1991, Mr. Alston formed his present firm, which has grown from 9 to 30 lawyers under his leadership. That firm’s practice emphasizes commercial litigation and ADR.

Mr. Alston has been President of the Hawai’i State Bar Association and the Hawai’i Justice Foundation. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He has been certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Attorneys. Having handled over 70 appeals, he is one of only 200 lawyers elected to membership in the American Academy of Appellate Attorneys. He has served as chairperson of hearing panels for the Supreme Court’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

As special deputy attorney general, Mr. Alston has defended the justices of the Hawai’i Supreme Court, two governors, the Hawai’i Judicial Selection Commission and the Attorney General in complex federal litigation.

Mr. Alston represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil disputes. He has been involved as lead counsel in lawsuits and arbitrations involving: real estate developments, quiet title claims, defamation, contract and business disputes, franchise disputes, securities, professional malpractice, insurance bad faith, construction problems, product liability, negligence, and civil rights. He has experience in international business litigation. Mr. Alston has taught numerous seminars throughout the country on civil litigation and authored on the same topics.

Mr. Alston has served as an arbitrator/neutral for the American Arbitration Association and the State of Hawai’i Supreme Court’s arbitration program.