HI Supreme Court Restrains Attorney Paul J. Sulla Jr. from Practicing Law

HI Disciplinary Board

Filed July 29th, 2025

Detected March 20th, 2026

Summary

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court has granted a petition to immediately restrain attorney Paul J. Sulla, Jr. from practicing law. This action follows his conviction for federal felonies including conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and money laundering.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi has issued an order immediately restraining attorney Paul J. Sulla, Jr. (Bar No. 5398) from practicing law. This order is based on his conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi for multiple felony counts, including Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud, Honest Services Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering. These convictions involve crimes of dishonesty and false statements, triggering the immediate restraint under Rule 2.13 of the Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi (RSCH).

Respondent Sulla is granted twenty (20) days from the date of the order (July 29, 2025) to comply with the duties imposed by RSCH Rule 2.16, including filing a required affidavit. The matter is referred to the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court for formal disciplinary proceedings. This restraint constitutes a suspension pending the final disposition of the disciplinary proceeding. Failure to comply with the duties imposed by RSCH Rule 2.16 could result in further sanctions.

What to do next

Comply with RSCH Rule 2.16 duties within 20 days of July 29, 2025
File required affidavit with the court by August 18, 2025

Penalties

Immediate restraint from the practice of law, constituting a suspension pending final disposition of disciplinary proceedings.

Source document (simplified)

SCAD-25-0000499 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI OFFICE OF THE DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL, Petitioner, vs. PAUL J. SULLA, JR. (BAR NO. 5398), Respondent. ORIGINAL PROCEEDING (ODC Case No. 22-0179) ORDER GRANTING PETITION (By: Recktenwald, C.J., McKenna, Eddins, Ginoza, and Devens, JJ.) Upon consideration of the petition for the immediate restraint of Respondent Paul J. Sulla, Jr., from the practice of law pursuant to Rule 2.13 of the Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi (RSCH), filed July 9, 2025, by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC), this court notes the proof of the finding of guilt in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi of Respondent Sulla for: one count of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; nine counts of Honest Services Wire Fraud, in Electronically FiledSupreme CourtSCAD-25-000049929-JUL-202509:11 AMDkt. 5 OGPI do hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true and correct copy of the official court record of the Courts of the State of Hawaii.Dated at: Honolulu, Hawaii 29-JUL-2025, /s/ Elizabeth Zack, Clerk of the Supreme Court, State of Hawai`i

violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346; and one count of Money Laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), which are felonies and crimes involving dishonesty or false statements. Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the petition is granted, as follows: 1. Respondent Paul J. Sulla, Jr., is immediately restrained from the practice of law, pursuant to RSCH Rule 2.13(b), pending final disposition of a disciplinary proceeding based upon the finding of guilt. 2. Pursuant to RSCH Rule 2.13(c), the immediate restraint shall constitute a suspension for the purposes of RSCH Rule 2.16. Respondent Paul J. Sulla, Jr., is granted twenty (20) days from the date of this order to comply with the duties imposed upon him by RSCH Rule 2.16 and to file with this court the affidavit required by RSCH Rule 2.16(d). 3. This matter is hereby referred to the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court for institution of formal disciplinary proceedings pursuant to RSCH Rule 2.13(d). DATED: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, July 29, 2025. /s/ Mark E. Recktenwald /s/ Sabrina S. McKenna /s/ Todd W. Eddins /s/ Lisa M. Ginoza /s/ Vladimir P. Devens