Don Guzman is Of Counsel with Kabateck LLP with more than 26 years of experience in governmental, criminal, and civil legal litigation.

Mr. Guzman has an exceptional track record representing clients in some of the most complex, novel, and critical civil & criminal matters in Hawaii state courts, more than two hundred bench trials with several by jury. Moreover, Don has deep roots in Maui and has demonstrated his commitment, passion, and love for the community through his work in the private and public sector.  

For fifteen years, Don has worked with Maui families to address their legal needs and injustices by maintaining a general practice law firm. He has served as the Grand Jury Counsel for the Hawaii State Judiciary. And earlier in his career, served five years as a Deputy Prosecutor bringing justice to crime victims.  Furthermore, Don was appointed as the Head Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Maui. Some of his accomplishments include establishing a Prosecutorial Vehicular Homicide and Road Safety Unit, the first in the state to address road fatalities, as well as an Elderly Abuse unit that worked on abuse and financial exploitation crimes that affected the elderly. He drafted and spearheaded state-wide support for new legislation to protect the elderly, which eventually passed into state law. Also, he was able to obtain County and State funding to build a victim witness center.      

Mr. Guzman served as an elected Councilmember for the County of Maui for three consecutive terms. During his tenure, Don handled legislative and administrative policy decisions involving all County of Maui. He served as the Chairman for the Legal Affairs and Committee of the Whole, which reviewed and addressed the County’s litigation & settlement cases, internal departmental legal issues, workers’ compensation claims, liabilities, and risk management matters. The committee provided guidance on critical and complex matters conveyed to the Council for review, decision making, and vote.

Most recently, Don was recognized by the Council of the County of Maui with Resolution No. 18-203 for his leadership and dedicated service on the Maui County Council and for his outstanding public service to the people of the County of Maui and the state of Hawaii.  Amongst his colleagues on the Council, Mr. Guzman introduced and garnished passage votes for the most amount of Charter Amendments, County Codes, Ordinances and Policies.  In 2012, Don was awarded the Gintong Pamana Award for Legal Service and Community Leadership by the Hawaii State Legislature in recognition of his commitment to enhancing the community’s well-being through his leadership, professionalism, and personal contributions. This award recognizes distinguished individuals of Filipino ancestry who have attained leadership in various endeavors.

Mr. Guzman graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, with a double major in sociology and biology. He made the Dean’s Honors List all four years. After obtaining his Bachelor’s, Don served as a senior paralegal on a mass tort products liability multi-district-litigation defense team for the largest law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio. Don attended law school at Ohio Northern University College of Law. While in law school, he served as a judicial law clerk for Chief Judge James Burns at the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals. During this time, Don also received the Client Counseling Award, and the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association National Service Award.