Paul W. Soenksen

Paul W. Soenksen is a senior counsel at Coates Frey Hackett & Gibson, AAL LLLC, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He has been practicing civil litigation for several years, and it has been more than 23 years since he shifted his focus to family law. He resolves cases on matters including:

• Divorce
• Asset distribution
• Custody
• Abuse and temporary restraining orders
• Premarital agreements
• Post-decree enforcement
• Paternity

Licensed to practice in Hawaii since 1987, Mr. Soenksen served for more than nine years at a prominent law firm before joining Coates Frey Hackett & Gibson, AAL LLLC. Even while practicing family law, he continues to assist the firm with complex and difficult civil litigation cases. 

An alumnus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Mr. Soenksen graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies pre-law with distinction. In 1987, he proceeded to pursue his Juris Doctor degree at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. In law school, he was selected to the dean’s list and was honored with the American Jurisprudence Award – Torts. He was also selected to be the first alternate on the Hastings Moot Court Oral and had a brief period of exposure to commercial litigation.

Mr. Soenksen is admitted to practice before all the state and federal courts in the district of Hawaii. Since his induction into the field of law, he has tasted victory in several high-stake cases. Some of his most prestigious victories have made it to the published opinions of district courts. 

As a former president of the Hawaii State Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Mr. Soenksen has played a pivotal role in the amendment of the state civil commitment laws. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Hawaii State Bar Association.