Clifford K. Higa

Clifford K. Higa is of counsel at Kobayashi Sugita & Goda in Honolulu, Hawaii, with extensive experience in financial, insurance, utility, and government regulation. His practice includes commercial litigation, compliance, governmental procurement and bid protests, and public utilities. He also has significant experience with banking and insurance regulation, insurance insolvencies, legislative lobbying, and administrative matters. His background in senior state regulatory roles gives him direct familiarity with the agencies, statutes, and policy considerations that can affect regulated businesses in Hawaii.

Higa earned a J.D. from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His legal education supports a career focused on regulatory analysis, administrative procedure, statutory interpretation, and complex commercial issues. That academic foundation has been reinforced by extensive service in government legal and regulatory positions.

Higa previously served as a law clerk, a Hawaii Deputy Attorney General handling insurance, corporations, securities, and professional licensing matters, Commissioner of Financial Institutions, and director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. These roles provide substantial experience with financial services, insurance, licensing, and government decision-making that informs his current counseling and litigation work.

Clifford K. Higa brings public-sector leadership and regulatory experience to matters involving utilities, financial services, insurance, procurement, compliance, and commercial disputes. His work helps regulated organizations understand legal requirements and prepare for agency or court proceedings when issues become contested. He evaluates statutes, administrative rules, policy concerns, and business operations to provide practical guidance on complex government-facing legal matters.

Law Office Affiliations

• Of Counsel, Kobayashi Sugita & Goda, LLP
• Member, Hawaii State Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association

Licensed State

• Hawaii

Education

• University of Hawaii at Manoa
  Bachelor’s Degree

Awards & Badges