Ex-Kamehameha CEO sues Wisconsin lawyer

By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Editor's note: During editing of this story, an essential word was inadvertently dropped from the version that appeared on Page B2 of the print edition yesterday. The corrected version appears below.

Hamilton McCubbin, the former chief executive of Kamehameha Schools, on Wednesday sued a previous employer's attorney for alleged defamation.

The complaint accuses John C. Dowling, senior legal counsel for the University of Wisconsin at Madison, of making "false statements" to The Advertiser about the circumstances surrounding McCubbin's resignation from the university after he was accused of sexual misconduct. The university later concluded he had not broken any rules.

McCubbin and Dowling could not be reached for comment.

In 1998, a former assistant professor at the university accused McCubbin of sexual harassment, but settled for $85,000. Dowling had told The Advertiser that one of the settlement conditions was for McCubbin to resign. But McCubbin said that the deal had no stipulation about resigning and that Dowling knew it.

McCubbin said that as a result of Dowling's comments, he suffered "severe harm and injury" to his "personal and professional reputation in Hawai'i" and he was exposed to "contempt, ridicule, obloquy."

McCubbin was hired at Kamehameha in January 2000, bringing stability after years of scandal and controversy. He signed a new, three-year contract on Feb. 1 for about $350,000 a year but abruptly resigned in May. He said he wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren.

Reach Deborah Adamson at dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8088.