500:
and partying more often, and was kicked out of the house by his wife, moving in with his brother George Lawson who worked for him at the time. After returning home for a few days in an attempt to convince his wife to let him live there again, Lawson was unable to reach his brother, and found that he
289:
described him as "a civil rights academic." Lawson frequently provides legal analysis to the local media in Hawaii. On May 1, 2017, Lawson was honored with the
University of Hawaii Board of Regentsā Medal for Excellence. The award is a tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of
600:
suspended Lawson's license to practice law, citing wrongdoings including failure to properly represent 15 clients and theft of funds as well as failure to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation. The ruling described a "pervasive pattern of professional misconduct", but did not prevent a future
583:
on
February 1 of that year, and stated in March 2019 that he had not used drugs or alcohol since then. Former clients subsequently filed motions and complaints because of Lawson's behavior while using drugs, at which point he says that he learned that he did not remember representing some of them;
472:
on Lawson's Law spoke critically about the office, saying that he liked Lawson on "a personal level" but that Lawson was failing to use his "unique opportunity" to teach the Black community about "the realities of the court system", and concluding that his "reluctance" to do so was the only thing
473:
preventing him "from being a great lawyer and a great citizen". Lawson was criticized for unprofessionalism by some other attorneys, and acknowledged being disliked by some police officers. He represented clients in multiple cases related to the police, including the family of
724:
introduced legislation that would have created "character and fitness" requirements for faculty at the
Richardson School of Law, including a prohibition on the employment of people who had previously been suspended or disbarred from practicing law. Lawson told
266:
at the
William S. Richardson School of Law. He eventually also became an employee of the Hawai'i Innocence Project, a program of the school. After co-teaching Roth's professional responsibility course, Lawson was invited to teach on his own as an
691:; he eventually became an employee at the Hawaii Innocence Project, a program of the William S. Richardson School of Law. He also began co-teaching Roth's professional responsibility course, and as a result, he was invited by School of Law Dean
736:, a former Honolulu Police Chief on trial for federal conspiracy and public corruption) sent a letter to Avi Soifer requesting that Lawson be prevented from commenting to the media on the Kealoha trial as well as the related trial of his wife
625:. The conspiracy included Lawson's physician, who was estimated to have written 700 to 800 prescriptions for Lawson between 2004 and 2007, many of them in other people's names. Lawson claimed that the physician had exploited him, but
731:
that the law, which may have caused him to lose his job, was intended to target him as a result of his public commentary on high-profile cases. In March 2019, Hawaii criminal defense attorney Rustam Barbee (who was then representing
411:
because of her relationship with a Black man, that Angelo was four months pregnant with him when she was sent to
Longview State Hospital, and that she was released after he was born. He additionally learned that Angelo had been a
375:
or was allowed to return on probation. He then resumed college at
Wittenberg, where he was joined by Marva after the birth of their first child. The couple married and worked to support themselves through college. He obtained a
675:. He was released from prison in March 2010, and rejoined his wife and children. In September 2011, as a result of a second disciplinary case that had been filed against Lawson, the Supreme Court of Ohio
744:. The letter, which was six pages long, said that Lawson should be fired if he did not stop discussing the cases with the media. Lawson described the letter as a bullying tactic intended to silence him.
1110:
359:
reported in 1998 that Lawson attended
Wittenberg for a year before running out of money and returning to Cincinnati; Lawson stated in 2020 that he actually attended for two years before being
552:
off the street. In his last two years of using drugs, Lawson states that they were costing him $ 1,000 per day and that he needed at least one prescription per day because his
150:
118:
637:
657:
396:
1186:
1191:
956:
322:
biological mother. He was not aware of his mixed ancestry until he searched for his biological mother years later. He grew up in the neighborhoods of
307:
648:. Lawson and Roth discussed Lawson's experience with addiction, and Roth asked Lawson to speak to a group of about 100 students in a class on
692:
548:, taking as many pills as he felt was necessary and eventually finding a doctor who would sell him prescriptions. He additionally bought
505:
in their shared condo. This suicide occurred three days before the start of a trial in which
Kenneth Lawson would defend a teen from
231:
in 2007, and said in 2019 that he had not used drugs or alcohol since then. Lawson had his license to practice law suspended by the
1111:"This Month, Local Organizations Will Mark Black August with Events Aimed at Education, Understanding and Building a Better Future"
702:
Lawson states that he quickly had "one of the heaviest teaching loads at the law school", and in 2019, he described himself as "a
910:
385:
97:
757:
described him as "a civil rights academic". He teaches courses at the
William S. Richardson School of Law on subjects including
610:
572:, but was unable to stop on his own, and ended up stealing money from clients and lying to judges and his family as a result.
271:. By 2012, he had become the co-director of the Hawaii Innocence Project, additionally teaching courses on subjects including
1181:
372:
1082:
416:
for parts of her life. During Lawson's search for his birth parents, a cousin had told him that his biological father was
1176:
915:
653:
645:
158:
126:
180:, graduating in 1986. While he was at Wittenberg, he married Marva Lawson after the birth of the couple's first child.
290:
subject-level mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness, creativity, and personal values that benefit students.
481:
while threatening officers with a brick; marches protesting the killing of
Collins were organized in part by Lawson.
420:, but no documentation was found to confirm paternity and Stella Angelo did not confirm it before her death in 1993.
247:
permanently by the Supreme Court of Ohio in 2011 as a result of a second complaint about his actions while addicted.
1138:
407:
records, he located his biological mother, named Stella Angelo. Lawson learned that Angelo's uncle had broken her
235:
in July 2008 for professional misconduct including failure to properly represent clients and theft of funds, was
441:
200:
478:
338:
766:
649:
280:
741:
641:
444:, but left to start his own practice because the job "paid well but left feeling empty". He founded a
429:
188:
893:
A Lawyer's Incredible Story of Opiate Addiction: From $ Millions to Jail to Amazing Life in Recovery
814:
392:
349:, graduating in 1981. He met his future wife Marva at the school. After graduating, Lawson went to
855:
819:
445:
368:
204:
28:
24:
1171:
687:
After Lawson was released from prison and moved to Hawaii, Randall Roth hired Lawson to be his
1015:
618:
597:
465:
360:
327:
232:
448:
practice called Lawson and Associates in 1993. As of 2000, Lawson hosted a Saturday morning
207:
on his own in 1993. While working as a criminal defense lawyer in Cincinnati, Lawson became
1196:
1047:
529:
506:
364:
323:
8:
1087:
1020:
727:
721:
713:
Lawson frequently provides legal analysis to the local media in Hawaii. In January 2015,
707:
602:
400:
355:
146:
114:
758:
748:
688:
668:
350:
272:
259:
177:
154:
122:
87:
920:
227:
when he tore his rotator cuff while weightlifting in the year 2000. He checked into a
1115:
966:
737:
696:
672:
549:
521:
514:
437:
346:
342:
268:
240:
196:
173:
1052:
601:
return to legal practice, mentioning that Lawson was making efforts to address his
497:
377:
83:
576:
541:
525:
496:. However, he has stated that he still did not feel happy or satisfied. He began
474:
679:
him permanently without the possibility of a return to legal practice in Ohio.
664:
633:
596:
along with their three children to work at a local hospital. In July 2008, the
569:
553:
417:
331:
1139:"'We say it's a racial paradise': how two police killings are dividing Hawaii"
891:
1165:
970:
733:
714:
556:
had increased so much. He additionally states that he recognized that he was
489:
485:
449:
251:
1042:
850:
391:
In 1990, he began looking for his biological family, and discovered through
1143:
762:
753:
717:
703:
580:
469:
413:
381:
315:
285:
276:
263:
236:
228:
184:
93:
957:"Disbarred lawyers who seek reinstatement have a rough road to redemption"
436:
in 1989, Lawson began working as a lawyer in Cincinnati. He was the first
961:
626:
493:
676:
606:
457:
299:
244:
165:
62:
20:
622:
557:
545:
510:
453:
303:
208:
169:
593:
537:
533:
408:
319:
311:
224:
220:
565:
502:
404:
216:
614:
579:, and "blew the whistle" on him. Lawson checked himself into a
561:
484:
Lawson additionally represented high-profile clients including
255:
212:
306:
until he was three years old, when he was adopted by Etta and
652:. Lawson did so; Roth additionally gave Lawson a tour of the
367:. He returned to Cincinnati and was considering joining the
433:
192:
66:
1083:"Kealoha Attorney Wants UH Instructor Muzzled Or Fired"
621:, specifically prescription drugs such as Percodan and
168:, Lawson spent the first three years of his life in an
517:. Lawson subsequently moved back in with his family.
663:Lawson was sentenced in April 2009 to two years in
644:introduced him to Randall Roth, a professor at the
1163:
1136:
706:faculty member". By 2012, he had become the co-
1187:University of Cincinnati College of Law alumni
747:In June 2020, Lawson attended and spoke at a
1043:"Lawyer convicted in drug case is disbarred"
605:. In September of the same year, Lawson was
584:multiple cases were overturned as a result.
575:In 2007, a judge recognized that Lawson was
464:profile for not defending the office of the
1192:William S. Richardson School of Law faculty
293:
250:Released from prison in 2010 and sent to a
1137:Broder Van Dyke, Michelle (July 5, 2021).
371:when he learned that he had qualified for
544:. He disregarded the instructions of his
1108:
812:
954:
848:
751:protest in Honolulu. A 2021 article in
386:University of Cincinnati College of Law
98:University of Cincinnati College of Law
27:. For the artist and set designer, see
1164:
1013:
889:
403:. After searching through library and
380:from Wittenberg College in 1986 and a
298:Lawson was born on April 19, 1963, in
176:in high school, and went on to attend
1080:
1009:
1007:
808:
806:
804:
802:
1076:
1074:
1072:
1070:
1005:
1003:
1001:
999:
997:
995:
993:
991:
989:
987:
950:
948:
946:
944:
942:
940:
938:
905:
903:
885:
883:
881:
879:
877:
875:
873:
849:Etienne, David A. (March 26, 2000).
844:
842:
840:
838:
800:
798:
796:
794:
792:
790:
788:
786:
784:
782:
1109:Dingeman, Robbie (August 1, 2020).
916:William S. Richardson School of Law
682:
656:, where he met the director of the
646:William S. Richardson School of Law
159:William S. Richardson School of Law
127:William S. Richardson School of Law
13:
14:
1208:
1067:
984:
955:Filisko, G. M. (August 1, 2013).
935:
900:
870:
835:
813:Johnston, John (March 12, 1998).
779:
710:of the Hawaii Innocence Project.
520:In the year 2000, Lawson says he
239:in 2009 for conspiracy to obtain
617:charges of conspiracy to obtain
592:In 2008, Lawson's wife moved to
195:the same year. He was the first
172:before being adopted. He played
145:(born April 19, 1963) is the co-
1130:
890:Lawson, Kenneth (May 5, 2020).
636:in Hawaii, the director of the
442:Taft Stettinius & Hollister
423:
201:Taft Stettinius & Hollister
16:Law professor and former lawyer
1102:
1081:Grube, Nick (March 29, 2019).
1035:
654:University of HawaiŹ»i at MÄnoa
23:. For the medical doctor, see
1:
1014:Lawson, Ken (March 4, 2019).
772:
632:While Lawson was waiting for
587:
477:, who was shot and killed by
1182:Wittenberg University alumni
815:"'Junk Yard Dog of Justice'"
258:, Lawson began working as a
7:
767:professional responsibility
650:professional responsibility
281:professional responsibility
10:
1213:
1177:Disbarred American lawyers
1016:"The Drug-Addicted Lawyer"
695:to teach on his own as an
642:Ohio State Bar Association
513:and her unborn child in a
18:
638:lawyer assistance program
452:called "Lawson's Law" on
395:that he had been born at
341:, where he played on the
318:biological father and an
161:, and a former attorney.
151:Hawai'i Innocence Project
132:
119:Hawai'i Innocence Project
109:
74:
45:
38:
742:Honolulu police officers
740:and the trials of other
667:followed by one year of
658:Hawaii Innocence Project
430:licensed to practice law
393:Catholic Social Services
294:Early life and education
189:licensed to practice law
856:The Cincinnati Enquirer
851:"A Tale of Two Lawyers"
820:The Cincinnati Enquirer
550:prescription medication
397:Longview State Hospital
219:after being prescribed
203:, but left to practice
29:Kenneth Lawson (artist)
25:Kenneth Lawson (doctor)
923:on September 30, 2021
715:Hawaii State Senators
619:controlled substances
598:Supreme Court of Ohio
522:tore his rotator cuff
339:Princeton High School
233:Supreme Court of Ohio
1055:. September 21, 2011
1048:Hamilton JournalNews
460:criticized him in a
446:criminal defense law
283:; a 2021 article in
205:criminal defense law
1088:Honolulu Civil Beat
1021:Honolulu Civil Beat
911:"Kenneth L. Lawson"
728:Honolulu Civil Beat
722:Brickwood Galuteria
671:and 1,000 hours of
603:chemical dependence
462:Cincinnati Enquirer
363:for fighting while
356:Cincinnati Enquirer
187:in 1989 and became
19:For the actor, see
759:criminal procedure
749:Black Lives Matter
689:research assistant
669:supervised release
577:abusing substances
401:mental institution
351:Wittenberg College
273:criminal procedure
260:research assistant
241:prescription drugs
183:Lawson obtained a
178:Wittenberg College
155:faculty specialist
123:faculty specialist
88:Wittenberg College
1116:Honolulu Magazine
823:. pp. C1, C5
738:Katherine Kealoha
697:adjunct professor
673:community service
509:who had killed a
479:Cincinnati police
347:middle linebacker
302:and raised in an
269:adjunct professor
143:Kenneth L. Lawson
140:
139:
1204:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1151:
1134:
1128:
1127:
1125:
1123:
1106:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1095:
1078:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1060:
1053:Associated Press
1039:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1028:
1011:
982:
981:
979:
977:
952:
933:
932:
930:
928:
919:. Archived from
907:
898:
897:
887:
868:
867:
865:
863:
846:
833:
832:
830:
828:
810:
683:Career in Hawaii
629:to the charges.
468:prosecutor when
438:African American
378:Bachelor of Arts
337:Lawson attended
197:African American
59:
55:
53:
36:
35:
1212:
1211:
1207:
1206:
1205:
1203:
1202:
1201:
1162:
1161:
1160:
1159:
1149:
1147:
1135:
1131:
1121:
1119:
1107:
1103:
1093:
1091:
1079:
1068:
1058:
1056:
1041:
1040:
1036:
1026:
1024:
1012:
985:
975:
973:
953:
936:
926:
924:
909:
908:
901:
888:
871:
861:
859:
847:
836:
826:
824:
811:
780:
775:
685:
590:
542:pain management
475:Lorenzo Collins
466:Hamilton County
428:After becoming
426:
328:Lincoln Heights
296:
105:
70:
60:
57:
51:
49:
41:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1210:
1200:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1158:
1157:
1129:
1101:
1066:
1034:
983:
934:
899:
869:
834:
777:
776:
774:
771:
684:
681:
665:federal prison
589:
586:
581:detox facility
568:as well as to
511:pregnant woman
503:killed himself
425:
422:
418:Ezzard Charles
295:
292:
229:detox facility
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
111:
107:
106:
104:
103:
102:
101:
91:
78:
76:
72:
71:
61:
56:April 19, 1963
47:
43:
42:
40:Kenneth Lawson
39:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1209:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1172:Living people
1170:
1169:
1167:
1150:September 30,
1146:
1145:
1140:
1133:
1122:September 30,
1118:
1117:
1112:
1105:
1094:September 29,
1090:
1089:
1084:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1059:September 30,
1054:
1050:
1049:
1044:
1038:
1027:September 30,
1023:
1022:
1017:
1010:
1008:
1006:
1004:
1002:
1000:
998:
996:
994:
992:
990:
988:
976:September 30,
972:
968:
964:
963:
958:
951:
949:
947:
945:
943:
941:
939:
927:September 30,
922:
918:
917:
912:
906:
904:
895:
894:
886:
884:
882:
880:
878:
876:
874:
862:September 29,
858:
857:
852:
845:
843:
841:
839:
827:September 30,
822:
821:
816:
809:
807:
805:
803:
801:
799:
797:
795:
793:
791:
789:
787:
785:
783:
778:
770:
768:
764:
760:
756:
755:
750:
745:
743:
739:
735:
734:Louis Kealoha
730:
729:
723:
719:
716:
711:
709:
705:
700:
698:
694:
690:
680:
678:
674:
670:
666:
661:
659:
655:
651:
647:
643:
639:
635:
630:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
611:federal court
608:
604:
599:
595:
585:
582:
578:
573:
571:
567:
563:
559:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
526:weightlifting
523:
518:
516:
512:
508:
504:
499:
495:
491:
490:Danny Fortson
487:
486:Deion Sanders
482:
480:
476:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
450:radio program
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
421:
419:
415:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
389:
387:
383:
379:
374:
373:financial aid
370:
366:
362:
358:
357:
352:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
308:Lawyer Lawson
305:
301:
291:
288:
287:
282:
278:
274:
270:
265:
261:
257:
253:
252:halfway house
248:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
181:
179:
175:
171:
167:
162:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
135:
131:
128:
124:
120:
116:
112:
110:Occupation(s)
108:
99:
95:
92:
89:
85:
82:
81:
80:
79:
77:
73:
68:
64:
58:(age 61)
48:
44:
37:
34:
30:
26:
22:
1148:. Retrieved
1144:The Guardian
1142:
1132:
1120:. Retrieved
1114:
1104:
1092:. Retrieved
1086:
1057:. Retrieved
1046:
1037:
1025:. Retrieved
1019:
974:. Retrieved
960:
925:. Retrieved
921:the original
914:
892:
860:. Retrieved
854:
825:. Retrieved
818:
763:criminal law
754:The Guardian
752:
746:
726:
718:Mike Gabbard
712:
704:tenure-track
701:
686:
662:
631:
613:in Ohio for
591:
574:
519:
515:car accident
483:
461:
427:
424:Law practice
390:
382:Juris Doctor
354:
336:
310:. Lawson is
297:
286:The Guardian
284:
277:criminal law
264:Randall Roth
249:
237:incarcerated
185:Juris Doctor
182:
163:
142:
141:
33:
1197:1963 births
962:ABA Journal
627:pled guilty
494:Aaron Pryor
1166:Categories
773:References
693:Avi Soifer
634:sentencing
588:Disbarment
532:the drugs
530:prescribed
528:, and was
458:Joe Deters
440:lawyer at
414:prostitute
300:Cincinnati
243:, and was
199:lawyer at
166:Cincinnati
63:Cincinnati
52:1963-04-19
21:Ken Lawson
971:0747-0088
677:disbarred
623:OxyContin
554:tolerance
546:physician
388:in 1989.
369:Air Force
314:, with a
304:orphanage
245:disbarred
170:orphanage
75:Education
708:director
607:indicted
594:Honolulu
558:addicted
538:Percocet
534:Percodan
507:West End
498:drinking
409:clavicle
361:expelled
345:team as
343:football
332:Woodlawn
324:Avondale
312:biracial
225:Percocet
221:Percodan
209:addicted
174:football
164:Born in
147:director
133:Children
115:director
640:of the
570:alcohol
566:cocaine
562:opioids
470:callers
454:WCIN-AM
405:probate
320:Italian
217:cocaine
213:opioids
157:at the
149:of the
969:
765:, and
615:felony
609:on in
524:while
492:, and
353:. The
330:, and
279:, and
256:Kalihi
100:, 1989
90:, 1986
69:, U.S.
384:from
365:drunk
316:Black
1152:2021
1124:2021
1096:2021
1061:2021
1029:2021
978:2021
967:ISSN
929:2021
864:2021
829:2021
720:and
564:and
540:for
536:and
501:had
434:Ohio
399:, a
262:for
223:and
215:and
193:Ohio
153:, a
67:Ohio
46:Born
560:to
432:in
254:in
211:to
191:in
125:at
117:of
113:Co-
1168::
1141:.
1113:.
1085:.
1069:^
1051:.
1045:.
1018:.
986:^
965:.
959:.
937:^
913:.
902:^
872:^
853:.
837:^
817:.
781:^
769:.
761:,
699:.
660:.
488:,
456:.
334:.
326:,
275:,
121:,
96:,
94:JD
86:,
84:BA
65:,
54:)
1154:.
1126:.
1098:.
1063:.
1031:.
980:.
931:.
896:.
866:.
831:.
136:5
50:(
31:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.