Kids FirstDivorceBrowse by state
← All states

State research · Hawaii

Child-centered divorce and custody lawyers in Hawaii.

Three lawyers whose public records show meaningful child-focused work, substantial family-law depth, professional stature, and a useful first-party online presence.

Research reviewedAugust 17, 2026
01Editorial score96/100

Honolulu · Hawaii

Kevin S. Adaniya

Law Office of Kevin S. Adaniya

Adaniya has Hawaii's deepest documented child-custody role set. His profile identifies current guardian-ad-litem appointments in contested custody, earlier GAL work for abused and neglected children, prior custody evaluation, child-welfare mediation, domestic-violence agency practice, settlement-master service, and supervision of a child-welfare clinic. That experience spans safety, investigation, direct child advocacy, and resolution. Family-law practice since 1996 and stated willingness to try cases when settlement is inappropriate preserve parent-side strength. His personal site is highly substantive, including custody scholarship and direct contact. He ranks clearly first because no other Hawaii candidate matched this combination online. The limitation is official verification: Hawaii's search systems did not yield a stable individual result for citation, so current registration and discipline must be independently confirmed before publication or referral.

Why the children-first signal is real

Adaniya's profile documents current guardian-ad-litem service in contested custody, earlier GAL work for abused and neglected children, prior custody evaluation, child-welfare mediation, a domestic-violence agency role, and child-law teaching and committee service.

Divorce and custody depth

His site reports family-law practice since 1996, covering divorce, custody, paternity, child welfare, mediation, settlement-master work, contested hearings, and trial when settlement is not appropriate.

Professional stature

Long specialist practice, current and historical child appointments, custody evaluation, settlement-master and child-welfare mediation work, law-clinic supervision, child-law committee service, and scholarship establish strong statewide stature.

Children 30/30Case depth 25/25Stature 18/20Online presence 15/15License confidence 8/10
Visit attorney profile ↗Custody practiceContact the firm
Verification note and limitations

Status note: The Hawaii State Bar Association and Office of Disciplinary Counsel provide official attorney-search resources, but this review could not cite a stable individual result. Recheck current registration and discipline before publication.

His many court and child-welfare roles may create conflicts. Confirm current parent-representation availability, island/court coverage, fees, and official standing.

02Editorial score93/100

Honolulu · Hawaii

Katie Bennett

Family Mediation Hawai‘i

Bennett offers Hawaii's most distinctive multidisciplinary child-centered perspective. Her first-party biography brings together law, mediation, social work, education, and child advocacy, and it documents experience in divorce, paternity, guardianship, adoption, and child welfare. That combination can help families design agreements responsive to children's emotional and practical needs rather than treating custody as an abstract allocation of time. Her professional recognition in access to justice and social work adds credibility, and the website clearly explains her process and how to make contact. The decisive caveat is role: Family Mediation Hawai‘i is a neutral mediation practice, so Bennett may not represent one parent as partisan counsel in contested litigation. She remains ranked because a child-focused client may want her as mediator or process architect, but the site must label the limitation prominently.

Why the children-first signal is real

Bennett's first-party profile combines training and practice as a mediator, family lawyer, educator, social worker, and child advocate; the firm's materials focus on child-centered agreements and reducing destructive conflict.

Divorce and custody depth

Her profile describes litigation and settlement work in divorce, paternity, guardianship, adoption, and child welfare, followed by a specialized family mediation practice.

Professional stature

Cross-disciplinary social-work and legal experience, teaching, child advocacy, mediation leadership, and Access to Justice and social-work recognition provide substantial statewide credibility.

Children 30/30Case depth 22/25Stature 18/20Online presence 15/15License confidence 8/10
Visit attorney profile ↗Custody practiceContact the firm
Verification note and limitations

Status note: Official Hawaii attorney-search resources were identified, but a stable individual status and discipline record was not available for citation. Verify directly before publication.

This is primarily a neutral mediation recommendation, not necessarily a recommendation for one parent's trial counsel. Confirm role, informed consent, separate legal advice, and official standing.

03Editorial score89/100

Honolulu · Hawaii

Justin L. Sturdivant

Smith & Sturdivant, LLLC

Sturdivant earns selection through two concrete child-focused court roles: custody evaluator and guardian ad litem. Those appointments require independent attention to children's circumstances and family functioning, while his psychology undergraduate degree provides relevant academic grounding. He has practiced family law since 2005 after broader civil litigation training and now works in a firm dedicated to family matters, including divorce, custody, paternity, interstate cases, mediation, and contested hearings. The site is robust and gives consumers detailed biography, service, office, and contact information. He ranks third because Adaniya has a far broader child-welfare and court-role record and Bennett adds rare social-work depth, but Sturdivant may be the more conventional parent-side advocacy option than a neutral mediator. Current Hawaii registration, discipline, and appointment activity must be independently verified.

Why the children-first signal is real

Sturdivant's biography documents service as a custody evaluator and guardian ad litem, mediation work, and an undergraduate psychology background relevant to assessing family dynamics.

Divorce and custody depth

He has practiced family law since 2005 after civil litigation training and handles divorce, custody, paternity, interstate family matters, mediation, and contested proceedings through an exclusive family-law firm.

Professional stature

Court-connected custody evaluation and GAL roles, civil and family litigation experience, mediation, firm leadership, and interstate practice support solid professional stature.

Children 28/30Case depth 23/25Stature 15/20Online presence 15/15License confidence 8/10
Visit attorney profile ↗Custody practiceContact the firm
Verification note and limitations

Status note: Hawaii's official attorney-search resources were identified, but no stable individual result was captured. Recheck registration and discipline directly through the official resource before publication.

The profile does not quantify the recency or volume of evaluator/GAL appointments. Confirm present parent-side caseload, conflicts, outer-island availability, and official standing.

Before you hire anyone

A shortlist is the beginning of diligence, not the end.

Kids First Divorce is an independent editorial publication. We do not represent you, refer you to counsel, certify any lawyer, or predict any result. Selection is based on publicly available information reviewed as of the date shown.

Confirm the lawyer’s current license and disciplinary history with the official state authority. Interview the lawyer about conflicts, fees, availability, geographic coverage, relevant experience, strategy, and whether their approach fits your family’s actual facts.

Looking somewhere else?

Browse another state.