Bradley A. Coates is a graduate of University of Southern California and University of California at Los Angeles School of Law (Juris Doctorate). He is a member of Hawai`i and California State Bars. He is licensed to practice before the High Court of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Supreme Court of the Federal States of Micronesia, the Supreme Court of the Marshall Islands, and in the Courts of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. His current & past professional affiliations include:

• Hawai`i State Bar Association
• California State Bar Association
• Family Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution Sections of the Hawai`i State Bar
• Board of Directors: the Downtown Exchange Club
• Executive Secretary: Beta Thera Pi (Hawai`i Alumni Association)
• Neighborhood Board Member: Aina Haina/Kuliouou
• First Vice President: the Aina Haina Community Association
• Panel of Arbitrators: the American Arbitration Association
• Co-chairman: (Legislation Committe) Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution
• Chief Justice’s appointee to Family Court Rules Committee
• Treasurer: Family Law Section, Hawai`i State Bar

Bradley Coates has also been a columnist on current legal issues for the Windward Oahu News and the East Honolulu News for over a decade. He is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars, a radio and TV panelist on family law topics, and a recognized authority on law office management and administration. He is the founder of Divorce with Decency, a low-cost divorce mediation clinic. He also administers the U.S Arbitration and Mediation of Hawai`i and the Pacific, Inc., an impartial alternative dispute resolution services for the settlement of all forms of civil disputes including commercial, construction, consumer, insurance and other disputes.

Recognition of Mr. Coates’ work includes winning the 1996 Honolulu Magazine “People’s Choice Award for Best Divorce Lawyer” and also being selected in 1997 as “Best Divorce Lawyer” by Honolulu Weekly Newspaper. He is the author of Divorce with Decency: The Complete How-to Handbook and Survivor’s Guide to the Legal, Emotional, Economic, and Social Issues, which won the Hawaii Book Publisher’s Award of Merit for Excellence in Guide & Reference Books and has now gone on to a third edition.

P. Gregory Frey is an honors graduate of St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Santa Clara University (B.A., History), Honolulu University (M.A. Psychology), and Willamette University College of Law (Juris Doctorate). He is licensed to practice law in his home state of Hawaii as well as before the Federal District Court for the District of Hawai`i and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. His past and present professional affiliations and memberships include: Hawai`i State Bar Association (Member of Family Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution Sections), and former Family Law Section Chairperson); American Bar Association; American Judicature Society; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society; Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity; National Honor Society, and; Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.

Recognition of Mr. Frey’s work includes receipt of the following awards and distinctions: rated BV Distinguished, Martindale-Hubbell; Commendation, Hawai`i Lawyer’s Care; recipient of Kahiau Award, Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii; inclusion in Hawaii Super Lawyers (Family Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution), Who’s Who in American Law; 2000 Notable American Men; Who’s Who Among American Law Students; Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans, and; International Youth in Achievement.

Mr. Frey has been appointed to well over a dozen committees by both the HSBA and/or First Circuit Family Court, dating back to 1995, to include appointments to the Volunteer Settlement Master and Special Master Programs and to the Committee on Divorce Proceedings, by Order filed by C.J. Moon on 9/9/05. He is a former columnist on various legal issues for The Korean Times and has lectured on numerous Domestic Relations topics for several professional organizations as well as on radio and television. Mr. Frey’s current emphasis is on complex Family Law cases and Alternative Dispute Resolution (as a formally trained mediator at the Mediation Center of the Pacific [fka Neighborhood Justice Center]).

Mr. Frey is also a past Commodore (and Member of the Year) of the Waikiki Yacht Club and Board President of the Saint Louis Alumni Association. He has sat on several local and national Board of Directors, including: Aloha Racing Foundation (syndicate for Hawaii’s bid for America’s Cup 2000); Hawaii State Bar Association (6-year Oahu Director & Family Law Section Chairperson); Sacred Hearts Academy; Saint Louis Alumni Association (Board President); Saint Louis Board of Trustees, and; Waikiki Yacht Club (Member, International Order of the Blue Gavel, District 6).

In his spare time, beyond the courtroom and his busy Family Law/Mediation practice, Mr. Frey is a classic car, motorcycle and boat enthusiast, pinball wizard and rabid collector of unique memorabilia. He also appears regularly as co-host of Auto Hawaii on K-108 (AM 1080) radio. Mr. Frey is married to his college sweetheart, with two adult daughters, and is a third generation attorney.

Paul W. Soenksen is the senior counsel at Coates & Frey. He is a graduate of Kaiser High School; University of Hawaii, and; University of California, Hastings College of the Law (Juris Doctorate). He is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and the American Bar Association, and is licensed to practice before the Federal District Court for the District of Hawaii. He is a member of the Family Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. While at Hastings College of the Law, he was selected as first alternate to its national moot court team and received Hastings Moot Court oral award. He is a recipient of American Jurisprudence Award, Torts.

Jessi L. K. Hall is a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools; University of Hawaii at Hilo (Bachelors of Arts in Political Science, specializing in International Political Science), and; Oklahoma City University School of Law (Juris Doctorate). She is a member of the Hawaii State Bar, member and Secretary (2005, 2010-2011) of the Family Law Section, Co-Chair (2010-2011) of the Leadership & Community Services Committee of the Family Law Section; member of the Child Law Section, Co-Author of the Divorce & Paternity section of the Hawaii Divorce Manual, and; licensed to practice before the Federal District Court for the District of Hawaii. Her practice, concentrating in Family Law litigation, includes divorce, custody, post-decree enforcement, paternity, adoptions and guardianship.

R. Barrie Michelsen is a 1971 graduate of the University of Maine (B.A. Political Science) and a 1976 graduate of the University of Maine School of Law (Juris Doctorate). He is a member of: Maine Bar (1976), Guam Bar (1980), Bar of the Federated States of Micronesia (1982), Hawaii State Bar Association (1986), Bar Association of the Republic of Palau (1986), the Bar of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (1987) and the American Bar Association; licensed to practice before the Federal District Courts of Maine, Guam, and Hawaii, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; listed on the Roster of Neutrals, American Arbitration Association; Chairman of committee to review and propose revisions to Palau’s criminal code (2002 – 2003); principal reviser, Rules of Civil Procedure (2002), and the Rules of Evidence (2004) for the Palau Supreme Court; member of President’s Council on Substance Abuse Prevention (Palau) (2003 – 2004); author of 1997 Supplement for Palau section of: The Law of United States and Affiliated Jurisdictions; Associate Justice Supreme Court, Republic of Palau (1996 – 2004); Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawaii School of Law (2008 – present) Pacific Islands Jurisdictions. His practice, concentrating in Family Law litigation, includes divorce, paternity, child custody and support and post-decree enforcement; head of Coates & Frey’s Domestic Abuse/TRO Practice Group.

John D. Hughes is a 1966 graduate of Punahou High School; 1971 graduate of Texas Christian University (Bachelor of Arts, English), and; 1977 graduate of Baylor University (Juris Doctor). He is a member of the Baylor Order of Barristers; licensed to practice law before all State Courts in Texas (1977), the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (1980), Western District of Texas (1990) and Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (1990); member of the Hawaii State Bar, 2007; Board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1992 – 2004 (inactive status); (former) member of Texas Trial Lawyers Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, Texas District and County Attorneys Association, 1978 – 1996; attended University of Texas School of Law: Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution Basic Mediation Training, 2004; College of the State Bar of Texas, 2003; volunteer mediator at the Mediation Center of the Pacific, 2004 – 2006; County Attorney for Hood County, Texas, 1981 – 1992; Assistant County Attorney for Hood County, Texas, 1978 – 1980, 1993 – 1996; partner Hughes & Hughes, 1977 – 1985; partner in Messina & Hughes, 1985 – 2004; member of the State Bar of Texas, 1977 – present; (former) member of the Granbury Optimist Club. His practice, concentrating in Family Law litigation, includes divorce, paternity, child custody and support, post-decree enforcement and mediation.

Ann S. Isobe is a 1974 Honor Graduate of Kaimuki High School; 1979 Graduate of The George Washington University, with Distinction (Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Speech Communications), and; 1982 Graduate of the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (Juris Doctorate). She received Honors in Moot Court Competition, and is a Member of the McGeorge Moot Court Executive Committee; President of the Asian Bar Association; Member of the California Bar (1984); Member of the Hawaii State Bar; admitted to practice before all Courts of the State of Hawaii including: The Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii (1983), The Federal District Court for the District of Hawaii (1983) and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1986). She was a Law Clerk to the Honorable Edwin H. Honda, Administrative Judge Assigned to the Civil Law and Motions Calendar 1983-1984); Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the City and County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorneys Office (1984-1988) handling misdemeanor, felony criminal prosecution; Associate at Turk and Agena (1988-1990) specializing in personal injury, products liability, tort litigation; 1998-2000 Crabtree and Hoshibata (Associate) specializing in tort litigation and family law; Associate (1990-1998) and Partner (2000-2008) with Devens, Nakano, Saito, Lee, Wong and Ching specializing in tort litigation, appeals, employment law, elder and family practice and litigation including divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, post decree enforcement, domestic abuse and TRO matters, premarital agreements, guardianships (for minors, disabled, incapacitated) and adoptions; Member of the Family Law Section, Elder Law Section, trained in Mediation and Collaborative Divorce, facilitator for the Kid’s First Program First Circuit Court, Voluntary Settlement Master for the First Circuit Court; Past Member and Director of the Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce Her practice, concentrating in Family Law litigation, includes divorce, custody, post-decree enforcement, paternity, guardianships and adoptions; head of Coates & Frey’s Asian Languages Practice Group.

Karl E. Phillips is a graduate of Guilford College (Bachelor of Science, Psychology, and a second major in English) and 1992 Whittier College School of Law (Juris Doctorate). He was the editor of the Whittier Law Review; member and Associate Justice of Phi Alpha Delta (1990 – 1991); passed California Bar exam July, 1992; passed North Carolina Bar Exam and admitted to practice in July, 1993; member North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers; owned and operated Law Offices of Karl E. Phillips, 1993 – 2003; passed Hawaii Bar exam and admitted to practice in July, 2004; active member of Hawaii Bar Association and North Carolina Bar Association; admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. His practice, concentrating in Family Law litigation, includes divorce, paternity, domestic violence/TRO, child custody and support and post-decree enforcement.

Dean A. Soma is a graduate of Roosevelt High School; University of Hawaii at Manoa (Bachelor of Arts degree in both Political Science and Economics), and; William S. Richardson School of Law (Juris Doctorate). He is a Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professional from the FINRA/Wharton School of Business; member of the Hawaii State Bar; member of the Family Law Section; licensed to practice before the Federal District Court for the District of Hawaii and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. His practice concentrating in Family Law litigation includes divorce, separation, child custody and support, post-decree enforcement and modification, adoptions, guardianships and soon civil union agreements and dissolutions.