Geoffrey Hamilton

Director

Geoffrey Hamilton practices family law, emphasizing divorce and child custody. Before co-founding Char Hamilton Taylor & Thom (now Char Hamilton Campbell & Yoshida), Mr. Hamilton was the partner and co-founder of Hamilton & Taylor (now Taylor Leong & Chee). He began his career as an associate at Chun Kerr & Dodd (now Chun Kerr Dodd Beaman & Wong). He has past experience in securities, real estate/condominium development, limited partnership, corporations, partnerships, construction litigation, and insurance defense.

Education

• Duke University School of Law (J.D.),1968
• The College of Wooster (B.A., History),1965
• Riverdale Country School, New York, NY,1961
• Town School, Lick-Wilmerding School, San Francisco, CA,1957-1958

Admissions

• Hawaii State Bar
• Certified Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 1981-Present.
• Certified Arbitrator, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
• Appointed Special Master by the Family Court of the First Circuit Court (1988).

Memberships & Civic Activities

• Hawaii State Bar Association 1970.
• American Bar Association 1970.
• Past Chairperson, Family Law Section, Hawaii State Bar Association, two terms; elected in 1990-1992 (two year term); reelected (one year term) 1996.
• Editor, Child Custody Section, Hawaii Divorce Manual, 2000-Present.
• Co-Chair, Special Guardian Ad Litem Committee, Family Law Section, 1994-1995; second term 2000.
• Member of Board of Directors of Hawaii State Bar Association, Family Law Section 1990-Present).
• Member, Hawaii Supreme Court Committee on Divorce Proceedings (2000-2001).
• Past Chairman, State of Hawaii Criminal Injuries Compensation Commission, 1986-1991.
• Past Member,Kaneohe Neighborhood Board. (
• Board Member and Officer, Hawaii International Child Placement and Family Services, Inc. (the largest private non-sectarian adoption agency in Hawaii), 1978-1990.
• Board Member, Honolulu Chapter American Cancer Society, 1985-1987.
• Former President, est of Hawaii, 1976-1978.
• Former President, Village Maluhia Condominium Association, 1981-1982.
• Former Vice President, Duke Alumni Association Hawaii Chapter.
• Former Secretary/Director, Hawaii Defense Lawyers Association, 1985-1989.

Professional Distinctions

• Selected as one of Hawaii's "Super Lawyers" in 2008.
• Recognized in "The Best Lawyers in America" in every edition from 1983 to the present. )
• Listed by Honolulu Magazine as one of Hawaii’s "A+ Attorneys" (1993).
• Listed by Honolulu Magazine as one of Hawaii’s "Best Lawyers" (1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005).

Lectures and Panels

• Speaker, ABA Family Law Section Annual Meetings, Honolulu, 2006, San Francisco, 1997, New York, 1993, Honolulu, 1989.
• Lecturer and Panelist, Hawaii Institute of Continuing Legal Education and Pacific Law Institute; various programs, 1977-1998.
• Lecturer, University of Hawaii, Law for the Non-Lawyer, 1978-1985.

Mr. Hamilton has also written and published many articles for both mainstream and legal media.

Publications

• Relocation "Settlement Technologies for Relocation Cases", American Journal of Family Law, Volume 22, Number 3, Fall, 2008
• Guide to the Psychodynamics of a Failing Marriage, Enlightened Divorce and Transition to Your New Life and a Successful New Relationship, 2004
• "Relocation Issues", ABA Family law Compendium, 2006
• "Why Is My Client Nuts? . . . An Inquiry Into the Psychodynamics of Divorce"
• ABA Compendium – ABA Family Law Section Annual Meeting, American Bar Association, 1989 and 1993; also Divorce Law Update, Vail, Colorado, 1989; revised and republished as "Why Is My Client Nuts? . . . Dealing With the Difficult Divorce Client", Hawaii Bar Journal No. 13, Vol. II, 1998.
• "Further Reflections on Why My Client Is Nuts . . . An Inquiry Into the Psychodynamics of Divorce (Part II)", updated, revised edition; 1992 Divorce Law Update.
• "Finding Your Way Through Hell – How to Survive Divorce", Family Advocate, Summer, 1990.
• "Divorce; the Emotional Rollercoaster", Family Advocate, Winter, 1990.

^*All of the Psychodynamics articles were co-authored with Thomas S. Merrill, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and, as to "Relocation Issues", co-authored with Professor Jeffrey Atkinson of Chicago, Illinois.