Background
Nancy Ribaudo, a licensed Hawaii attorney (bar number 6076), filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi seeking to resign from the practice of law in good standing pursuant to Rule 1.10 of the Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi (RSCH). She also sought permission to retain her paper license as a personal memento, a form of relief expressly authorized under RSCH Rule 1.10(b).
The court considered the petition along with supporting declarations submitted by Ribaudo and evaluated whether she had satisfied all procedural requirements for a voluntary good-standing resignation under RSCH Rule 1.10.
The Court’s Holding
The Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi, with Chief Justice Devens, Justices McKenna, Eddins, and Ginoza, and Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge Nakasone sitting by assignment, unanimously granted the petition. The court found that Ribaudo had fully complied with the requirements of RSCH Rule 1.10 and authorized her resignation in good standing.
The court further ordered that Ribaudo comply with the notice, declaration, and record-keeping obligations set forth in RSCH Rule 2.16(a), (b), (d), and (g), and directed the Clerk to remove her name from the roll of attorneys of the State of Hawaiʻi effective immediately upon filing of the order. Ribaudo was additionally permitted to retain her paper license as a memento.
Key Takeaways
- The court granted Ribaudo’s petition to resign from the Hawaii bar in good standing under RSCH Rule 1.10, effective July 1, 2026.
- Ribaudo was permitted to retain her paper bar license as a personal memento pursuant to RSCH Rule 1.10(b).
- As a condition of the resignation, Ribaudo remains subject to the notice and record requirements of RSCH Rule 2.16(a), (b), (d), and (g), which govern the wind-down obligations of departing attorneys.
- Ribaudo’s name (attorney number 6076) was ordered removed from Hawaii’s official roll of attorneys upon filing of the order.
Why It Matters
This order illustrates the procedural framework Hawaii uses to process voluntary, good-standing attorney resignations. Unlike disciplinary disbarment, a resignation in good standing reflects that the attorney has met all applicable professional obligations and is departing the bar on her own terms, without adverse findings.
The case also highlights the wind-down obligations that accompany even a voluntary resignation: departing attorneys must still satisfy client-notification and record-maintenance requirements under RSCH Rule 2.16, ensuring that clients and the public are protected during the transition.