§605-14  Unauthorized practice of law
prohibited.  It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association, or
corporation to engage in or attempt to engage in or to offer to engage in the
practice of law, or to do or attempt to do or offer to do any act constituting
the practice of law, except and to the extent that the person, firm, or
association is licensed or authorized so to do by an appropriate court, agency,
or office or by a statute of the State or of the United States.  Nothing in
sections 605-14 to 605-17 contained shall be construed to prohibit the
preparation or use by any party to a transaction of any legal or business form
or document used in the transaction. [L 1955, c 150, §1; RL 1955, §217-14; HRS
§605-14; am L 1969, c 226, §3; am L 1983, c 167, §18; am L 1985, c 270, §4; am
L 2001, c 47, §1]



 



Note



 



  Chapter 416 referred to in text is repealed.



 



Cross References



 



  Unauthorized practice of law as criminal contempt of court,
see §710-1077.



 



Rules of Court



 



  See HRPC rule 5.5.



 



Case Notes



 



  Only bar association or attorney general has standing to
bring action for violation of this section.  501 F. Supp. 830.



  Assuming plaintiff collection agency to be engaged in
unauthorized practice of law, such conduct does not entitle the debtor defendant
any relief.  59 H. 503, 584 P.2d 107.



  Nonattorney agents are not allowed to represent corporations
in litigation.  60 H. 372, 590 P.2d 570.



  First offender chargeable only with violation; circuit court
had exclusive jurisdiction.  68 H. 226, 708 P.2d 138.



  Where Oregon law firm did not "practice law within the
jurisdiction" of Hawaii, it did not violate this section nor §605-17;
thus, plaintiff could recover fees under §607-14 for services rendered by
firm.  87 H. 37, 951 P.2d 487.