NO.
28957
IN
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAI‘I
OFFICE OF DISCIPLINARY
COUNSEL, Petitioner,
vs.
WILLIAM
R. KIEFER, Respondent.
ORIGINAL PROCEEDING
(ODC 07-020-8480)
ORDER OF PUBLIC CENSURE
(By: Moon, C.J., Levinson, Nakayama, Acoba, and Duffy, JJ.)
Upon consideration of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel's ex parte
petition for
issuance of reciprocal discipline notice to Respondent William
R. Kiefer, pursuant
to Rule 2.15(b) of the Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of
Hawai'i (RSCH),
the memorandum, affidavit, and exhibits thereto, Respondent Kiefer's
response
thereto, and the record, it appears that: (1) on November 30, 2006, the
State Bar
Court of California publicly reproved Respondent Kiefer for his ethical
misconduct
in two cases, and ordered Kiefer to pay disciplinary costs and attached
conditions; (2) RSCH 2.15(b) requires the same or substantially
equivalent
discipline, or restrictions or conditions upon the attorney's license
to practice
law in the State of Hawai'i, unless Respondent Kiefer shall show cause
under RSCH
2.15(c) as to why imposition of the same or substantially equivalent
discipline
should not be imposed; (3) Respondent Kiefer filed a response to our
February 7,
2008 notice and order on April 11, 2008 that fails to show cause; (4) a
substantially equivalent discipline is warranted in this jurisdiction;
and (5) a
substantially equivalent discipline in this jurisdiction is public
censure by the
supreme court. Therefore,
IT IS HEREBY
ORDERED that Respondent William R. Kiefer is publicly censured in the
State of Hawai'i.
IT IS FURTHER
ORDERED that Respondent Kiefer shall (1) comply with the conditions
imposed by the State Bar Court of California, or if he has already
complied with
said conditions, show proof of such compliance, and (2) pay all costs
of this
proceeding.
DATED: Honolulu,
Hawai'i, April 29, 2008.
Evan R. Shirley, for
respondent
Michael T. Lee,
assistant disciplinary
counsel, for petitioner