Aduja drops law license to avoid court discipline

Local attorney and former state Sen. Melodie Aduja will give up her law license to avoid disciplinary proceedings under an order issued this month by the Hawaii Supreme Court Disciplinary Board.

Court officials would not say why Aduja was facing disciplinary action. Under Hawaii Supreme Court rules, that information is sealed if an attorney opts for disbarment.

Aduja can reapply for a Hawaii law license in five years.

Aduja’s resignation is effective Jan. 4.

“The public is cautioned and advised that Ms. Aduja will not be eligible to practice law until reinstated by order of the Supreme Court,” said a news release from the Hawaii Office of Disciplinary Counsel. “Ms. Aduja cannot accept any new retainers, clients, or legal matters, and must also return to any existing clients their papers, property and unearned advance fee payments.”

Aduja referred questions about her disbarment to her attorney, Bill Harrison, who said that she chose to give up her license to protect her clients from being dragged through hearings.

“Melodie has dedicated her life to public service, both as an attorney and as a state senator,” he said. “She has advocated vigorously on behalf of her clients and constituents throughout her career. She has assisted many individuals in need. She made a mistake and has decided to give up her license so that her clients would not have to endure a hearing on this matter.”

This isn’t the first time that Aduja has lost her Hawaii law license.

In 2005 the state Supreme Court suspended her from practicing law for three years for mishandling a client’s trust account. Lawyers must set up a special bank account for clients’ money and not commingle funds with their own. The Supreme Court found that she failed to do so.

While a state senator representing Kahuku and Kaneohe, Aduja was also fined $9,100 in 2004 by the state Campaign Spending Commission for misuse of her campaign fund. State officials found that she had written more than $30,000 in campaign checks to her ex-husband, not all of which was accounted for through receipts. Her campaign also didn’t disclose a $3,000 loan or show receipts indicating how the loan was used, while her campaign treasurer received $9,490 in campaign checks, which is prohibited.

Aduja was elected to the Senate in 2002, losing a re-election bid two years later, a staggered term as a result of reapportionment.