Bishop law hire must
reapply to practice here

By Star-Bulletin staff

A mainland expert on trust law, hired by the Bishop Estate, cannot represent the estate immediately because he has not properly been admitted to practice here, probate Judge Colleen Hirai said.

During a status conference yesterday, Hirai told Los Angeles attorney Andrew Garb that he cannot represent the estate in probate matters until his application to practice has been approved by the court, attorneys who attended the meeting said.

Garb was kept out of yesterday's meeting, which was in Hirai's chambers.

Less than two weeks ago, Garb filed court papers on behalf of the estate and filed an application to practice here after the fact.

Hirai told Garb he must resubmit his application, which will require a probate court hearing.

Under probate court rules, out-of-state attorneys who are not licensed to practice here must work with local counsel and must receive court approval.

Garb could not be reached for comment. His local co-counsel, Don Kitaoka, said Garb plans to resubmit his application.

Last week, trustees Oswald Stender and Gerard Jervis said they opposed his hiring, saying Garb was paid by the estate but answered directly to trustees Henry Peters, Richard Wong and Lokelani Lindsey.

That, according to Peters and Jervis, represented a conflict of interest.

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