Benchmark Litigation vs. Super Lawyers: Which Hawaii Law Firm Rankings Matter Most (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Benchmark Litigation (trust 9/10) uses peer-review interviews and case analysis to rank firms; Super Lawyers (trust 9/10, Thomson Reuters) uses a patented multiphase selection process combining peer nominations, independent research, and peer evaluation.
- Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher earned Benchmark Litigation's Highly Recommended tier and Hawaii Litigation Firm of the Year (2020–2022, 2024–2025), making it the top Benchmark-ranked firm in the state.
- Super Lawyers lists 52 Hawaii personal injury plaintiff attorneys, including multiple lawyers from Davis Levin Livingston, Bostwick & Associates, and Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks.
- Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks appears in both Benchmark Litigation (Recommended tier) and Super Lawyers (7 attorneys recognized), plus Honolulu Magazine Best Lawyers 2026.
- Cross-referencing with Lawdragon 500 (trust 10/10) and U.S. News Best Law Firms (trust 10/10) adds additional validation — Davis Levin Livingston has 4 attorneys in Lawdragon 500, and Bostwick & Associates holds U.S. News Tier 1 status.
Based on cross-referencing Benchmark Litigation Hawaii 2025 (trust 9/10, peer-review methodology), Super Lawyers Hawaii 2025, a Thomson Reuters publication (trust 9/10, patented multiphase selection), and two additional elite sources — Lawdragon 500 (trust 10/10) and U.S. News Best Law Firms (trust 10/10) — here is how Hawaii's top-ranked litigation firms compare across publications.
Benchmark Litigation Hawaii: Methodology and Top-Ranked Firms
Benchmark Litigation ranks firms through extensive peer-review interviews with litigators and in-house counsel, combined with analysis of notable case wins. Benchmark Litigation Hawaii 2025 lists 8 firms across Highly Recommended and Recommended tiers.
- Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher — Highly Recommended tier; Hawaii Litigation Firm of the Year 2020–2022 and 2024–2025 (Benchmark Litigation, 2025). Also recognized by Honolulu Magazine Best Lawyers 2026.
- Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks — Recommended tier (Benchmark Litigation, 2025). Five attorneys recognized in Best Lawyers in America; six attorneys in Honolulu Magazine Best Lawyers 2026.
Super Lawyers Hawaii: Methodology and Top-Ranked Firms
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, uses a patented multiphase process: peer nominations, independent research on verdicts and settlements, and peer evaluation. Super Lawyers Hawaii 2025 lists 52 personal injury plaintiff attorneys. Top firms with multiple attorneys selected:
- Davis Levin Livingston — Multiple attorneys including Mark S. Davis and Michael K. Livingston (Super Lawyers, 2025). Davis Levin Livingston also has 4 attorneys in Lawdragon 500 (2025).
- Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks — 7 attorneys recognized (Super Lawyers, 2025).
- Bostwick & Associates — James S. Bostwick recognized (Super Lawyers, 2025). Bostwick & Associates also holds U.S. News Best Law Firms Tier 1 status (2025).
- Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner — Multiple attorneys recognized (Super Lawyers, 2025). Also recognized by Honolulu Magazine Best Lawyers 2026.
- Recovery Law Center — Glenn Honda Jr. recognized (Super Lawyers, 2025). Also named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Hawaii.
- Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman — Listed in Super Lawyers (2025); secured $1.38 billion tobacco settlement for Hawaii. Also referenced by U.S. News Best Law Firms (2025).
Which Hawaii Firms Appear in Both Rankings
Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks is the only firm in our dataset appearing in both Benchmark Litigation (Recommended tier) and Super Lawyers (7 attorneys, 2025). Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks also appears in Honolulu Magazine Best Lawyers 2026 — a triple-source validation.
Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher dominates Benchmark Litigation but does not appear in Super Lawyers' personal injury plaintiff list, reflecting Benchmark Litigation's broader litigation focus versus Super Lawyers' practice-area-specific selection.
How Lawdragon 500 and U.S. News Compare
Lawdragon 500 (trust 10/10) selects the 500 leading plaintiff consumer lawyers nationally through editorial research and peer input. Davis Levin Livingston placed 4 attorneys — Mark S. Davis, Michael K. Livingston, Blaine Rogers, and Loretta A. Sheehan. Bostwick & Associates founder James Bostwick was inducted into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame.
U.S. News Best Law Firms (trust 10/10) combines client and lawyer surveys with Best Lawyers data. Bostwick & Associates earned Tier 1 in Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice with over $1 billion recovered. Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman is also referenced as a prominent plaintiff firm in U.S. News data.
The key distinction: Benchmark Litigation and Super Lawyers measure different dimensions. Benchmark Litigation evaluates firm-level litigation capability through peer interviews. Super Lawyers evaluates individual attorneys through a multiphase nomination and research process. Both carry a 9/10 trust score, but Lawdragon 500 and U.S. News Best Law Firms (both 10/10) provide the highest-authority cross-validation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Benchmark Litigation and Super Lawyers rankings?
Benchmark Litigation ranks firms through peer-review interviews and case analysis, while Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, selects individual attorneys through a patented multiphase process of peer nominations and independent research. Both carry a trust score of 9/10.
Which Hawaii law firms appear in both Benchmark Litigation and Super Lawyers?
Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks appears in both Benchmark Litigation's Recommended tier (2025) and Super Lawyers (7 attorneys recognized, 2025), plus Honolulu Magazine Best Lawyers 2026 — making it triple-validated.
Which Hawaii firm is ranked highest by Benchmark Litigation?
Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher holds Benchmark Litigation's Highly Recommended tier and was named Hawaii Litigation Firm of the Year for 2020–2022 and 2024–2025.
Are Lawdragon 500 and U.S. News rankings more authoritative than Benchmark Litigation or Super Lawyers?
Lawdragon 500 and U.S. News Best Law Firms both carry a trust score of 10/10, slightly higher than Benchmark Litigation and Super Lawyers (9/10 each). Davis Levin Livingston has 4 attorneys in Lawdragon 500, and Bostwick & Associates holds U.S. News Tier 1 status.
How many attorneys does Super Lawyers list for Hawaii personal injury?
Super Lawyers Hawaii 2025 lists 52 personal injury plaintiff attorneys across the state, including multiple attorneys from Davis Levin Livingston, Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks, and Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner.