amendments to the Hawaii Rules of Professional Conduct

organization. See Rule 1.13 of these Rules. Where many routine
matters are involved, a system of limited or occasional reporting
may be arranged with the client.
Withholding Information
[7] In some circumstances, a lawyer may be justified in
delaying transmission of information when the client would be
likely to react imprudently to an immediate communication. A
lawyer might withhold a psychiatric diagnosis of a client when
the examining psychiatrist indicates that disclosure would harm
the client. A lawyer may not withhold information to serve the
lawyer's own interest or convenience or the interests or
convenience of another person. Rules of court or court orders
governing litigation may provide that information supplied to a
lawyer may not be disclosed to the client. Rule 3.4(e) directs
compliance with such Rules or orders.
Rule 1.5. FEES.
(a) Reasonableness of Fee. A lawyer shall not make an agreement
for, charge, or collect an unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for
expenses. The factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of a
fee include the following:
(1) the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the
questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal service properly;
(2) the likelihood, if apparent to the client, that the acceptance of the
particular employment will preclude other employment by the lawyer;
(3) the fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal
services;
(4) the amount involved and the results obtained;
(5) the time limitations imposed by the client or by the circumstances;
(6) the nature and length of the professional relationship with the
client;
(7) the experience, reputation, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers
performing the services; and
(8) whether the fee is fixed or contingent, and in contingency fee
cases the risk of no recovery and the conscionability of the fee in light of the net
recovery to the client.
(b) Manner In Which Fees are Earned. The scope of the
representation and the basis or rate of the fee and expenses for which the client
will be responsible shall be communicated to the client, preferably in writing,
before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation, except
when the lawyer will charge a regularly represented client on the same basis or
rate. Any changes in the basis or the rates of the fee or expenses shall also be
communicated to the client. Fee payments received by a lawyer before legal
services have been rendered are presumed to be unearned and shall be held in a
trust account pursuant to Rule 1.15 of these Rules.
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