Vladimir Devens

Mr. Devens has litigated cases in all of the Hawaii State courts, including the Hawaii Supreme Court, Intermediate Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, District Court, Family Court, the federal courts (District of Hawaii, 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals), and before various administrative agencies, including the Zoning Board of Appeals, Building Board of Appeals, Disability Compensation Division, Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board, Hawaii Labor Relations Board and Board of Land and Natural Resources.  He has also represented the police and teachers’ unions in labor matters including contract negotiations and grievances.

In what is considered one of the highest settlements of its type in the country, Mr. Devens was the lead trial attorney in a class action consisting of over 2,000 police officers and firefighters based on a violation of the Fair Labor and Standards Act (“FLSA”) that was filed against the City and County of Honolulu, County of Kauai, County of Maui and County of Hawaii, and settled for over $30 million dollars.

He has successfully litigated wrongful death claims, car collisions, slip-falls, job injuries, trucking cases, medical malpractice and other personal injury cases that has resulted in the recovery of over a $150 million for his clients.  In a landmark decision issued by the Hawaii Supreme Court in 2008, Mr. Devens successfully obtained a verdict in excess of $1 million dollars against the State of Hawaii’s Child Protective Services for failing to protect an abused child on Maui.

1987-present: Supreme Court of the United States, United States Court of Appeals (Ninth Circuit), United States District Court (District of Hawaii), Hawaii Supreme Court, Hawaii State Courts

1987: University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law: J.D.; Associate Editor , Industrial Relations Law Journal.

1984: University of California at Berkeley: B.A. (economics); Magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa; UC Berkeley Economics Honor Society

Law Offices of Vladimir P. Devens LLC-Principal

Honolulu Police Department-Police Officer

-Outstanding Recruit Award, Academic Award, Nominated for Officer of the Year

The Best Lawyers in America-Selected as a Plaintiffs best personal injury lawyer

U.S. News &World Report-Selected as a Best Firm in Hawaii

Super Lawyers-Selected as a Super Lawyer

America’s Top 100 Attorneys-Selected as a lifetime achievement recipient

The National Trial Lawyers-Top 100 Trial Lawyers

Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court-Board Member

Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court-Hearings Officer

State Land Use Commission-Chairman, Vice Chairman, Commissioner (appointed by Governor Linda Lingle)

Hawaii Impaired Driving Task Force (appointed by Governor Neil Abercrombie)

Hawaii State Bar Association-Board of Directors

Hawaii State Bar Foundation-Founding Fellow

Crime Stoppers Honolulu, Inc.-Board of Directors

American Bar Association-Member

American Association for Justice-Member

American Judicature Society-Member

Hawaii Association for Justice-Member

Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii-Member, former Treasurer

Hawaii State Bar Association Bench/Bar Conference-Attorney Group Leader (October 11, 2019)

Access to Justice Center-Volunteer (March 11, 13, 2019)

Courts in the Community-Volunteer, Kalani High School (November 2018)

Hawaii State Bar Association Civil Law Forum-Coordinator (October 16, 2018)

Speaker for Work Injury Medical Association of Hawaii (September 28, 2018)

Speaker for SHOPO Honolulu Chapter re: fiduciary duties (February 9, 2018)

Access to Justice Center-Volunteer (February 5, 2018)

Hawaii State Bar Association Bench/Bar Conference-Attorney Group Leader (October 18, 2017)

Hawaii State Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Mock Trial 2017 (February 14, 2017)-Judge

Courts in the Community-Volunteer, Kaimuki High School (October 2018)

Hawaii State Bar Association Civil Law Forum-Coordinator (September 20, 2016)

Hawaii State Bar Association Bench/Bar Conference-Group Leader (October 23, 2015)

Speaker for SHOPO Contract Negotiation Workshop (September 29, 2015)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan B. McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (September 20, 2014)

Speaker before Hawaii Claim Association, Inc. (September 19, 2014)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan B. McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (September 13, 2013)

Speaker for SHOPO Business Agents Training Workshop (December 13, 2012)

Harvard Law School: Lecturer at the Labor and Worklife Program, 13^th Annual Police Union Leadership Seminar (April 27, 2012)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan B. McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (September 10, 2011)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan B. McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (September 11, 2010)

Speaker before Hawaii Hotel Engineers Association (November 18, 2009)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan B. McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (September 12, 2009)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan B. McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (September 13, 2008)

Speaker before Hawaii Hotel Association of Security Directors (October 3, 2008)

Speaker for SHOPO Union Officials Training Workshop (June 16, 2008)

Speaker before Hawaii Hotel Engineers Association (February 14, 2008)

Speaker before Hawaii Hotel Association of Security Directors (October 18, 2007)

William Richardson School of Law, Susan McKay Intramural Oral Advocacy Competition-Judge (2007)

Speaker before SHOPO regarding the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act and its impact on collective bargaining agreements (February 6, 2004)

Speaker at Lorman’s Seminar on Automobile Accident Law (May 21, 2003)

Speaker before SHOPO regarding the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act and its impact on collective bargaining agreements (January 16, 2003)

Speaker before SHOPO regarding the Fair Labor and Standards Act and collective bargaining (April 12, 2002)

Speaker at Kapiolani Community College, paralegal class (1998)

Contributing author to the Hawaii State Bar Association’s annual seminar litigation manual (2006)

Hawaii Bar Journal (publication), “Joint and Several Liability,” Co-Author (May, 2011)