Kamala S. Haake specializes in complex commercial litigation, including statewide and nationwide class actions, securities litigation, and contract disputes, as well as white collar criminal defense. She has a broad background in all aspects of federal and state litigation and has been recognized as a Rising Star with Super Lawyers. Examples of her experience include:

• Arbitration award of over $13 million in damages and pre-judgment interest to our client (Hawaiian Host) after a highly contested case involving a hostile takeover attempt by a group of foreign investor defendants.

• Complex Commercial Litigation: Prosecuted and defended businesses and individuals in breach of contract, fraud, and unfair and deceptive business practices claims.

• Class Actions: Defended businesses against consumer class actions, such as: false advertising and unfair business practices in the automotive repair industry, the application of FACTA to retailers, and the application of a California gift certificate statute to amusement park tickets.

• Securities Litigation: Represented a top executive of an international insurance company in securities fraud cases alleging billions of dollars in financial misstatements.

• Copyright Infringement:Represented various companies in lawsuits by photographers for copyright infringement.

• Employment Law: Represented a former government supervisor against claims for pregnancy discrimination, disability discrimination, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and defamation and obtained summary judgment on all claims. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the ruling.

• White Collar Criminal Defense: Obtained full dismissal of federal felony charges against the general manager and vice president of a subsidiary of a Fortune 250 company involving allegations of false statements and Clean Water Act violations.

Ms. Haake has devoted significant time to pro bono work. She successfully negotiated with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office for the release of a battered woman who had served 20 years of a life sentence for a murder that her abusive husband committed. She also participated in a legal services clinic that helps Holocaust survivors obtain reparations payments from Germany.

Ms. Haake was born and raised on Maui and graduated from Kamehameha Schools (Kapālama). She then attended the University of Southern California, where she graduated, cum laude, with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Political Science. While at USC, Ms. Haake was a summer intern for Senator Daniel Akaka in Washington, D.C. Ms. Haake earned her law degree from Cornell Law School in 2006, where she was an editor for the Cornell International Law Journal and served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Joseph Cardoza of Hawaii’s Second Circuit Court. Prior to joining Cox Fricke LLP, Ms. Haake was an associate at Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles.

Professional and Civic Activities

• Hawai‘i State Bar Association
• Kamehameha Schools Career Professional Network
• Fellow, HSBA Leadership Institute 2012
• Lecturer in Law, University of Hawai‘i, William S. Richardson School of Law, Spring 2013

Publications

• Co-author of the Hawaii chapter of the Product Liability Desk Reference, a Fifty State Compendium