(a) A professional corporation may adopt a plan of conversion and convert to any other entity if:

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 415A-16.5

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Director: means the director of commerce and consumer affairs. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 415A-2
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Other entity: includes a domestic or foreign corporation, whether organized for profit or not, a domestic or foreign limited liability company, general partnership, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 415A-2
  • Professional corporation: means a domestic professional corporation for profit subject to this chapter. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 415A-2
(1) The board of directors and shareholders of the professional corporation approve a plan of conversion in the manner prescribed by § 414-313 and the conversion is treated as a merger to which the converting entity is a party and not the surviving entity;
(2) The conversion is permitted by and complies with the laws of the state or country in which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed, or organized; and the incorporation, formation, or organization of the converted entity complies with such laws;
(3) At the time the conversion becomes effective, each shareholder of the converting entity, unless otherwise agreed to by that shareholder, owns an equity interest or other ownership interest in, and is a shareholder, partner, member, owner, or other security holder of, the converted entity;
(4) The shareholders of the professional corporation, as a result of the conversion, shall not become personally liable without the shareholders’ consent, for the liabilities or obligations of the converted entity; and
(5) The converted entity is incorporated, formed, or organized as part of or pursuant to the plan of conversion.
(b) Any other entity may adopt a plan of conversion and convert to a professional corporation if the conversion is permitted by and complies with the laws under which the other entity is incorporated, formed, or organized.
(c) A plan of conversion shall set forth:

(1) The name of the converting entity and the converted entity;
(2) A statement that the converting entity is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;
(3) A statement describing the organizational form of the converted entity and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed, or organized; and
(4) The manner and basis of converting the shares or other forms of ownership of the converting entity into shares or other forms of ownership of the converted entity, or any combination thereof.
(d) A plan of conversion may set forth any other provisions relating to the conversion that are not prohibited by law, including without limitation the initial bylaws and officers of the converted entity.
(e) After a conversion of a professional corporation is approved, and at any time before the conversion becomes effective, the plan of conversion may be abandoned by the professional corporation without shareholder action and in accordance with the procedures set forth in the plan of conversion or, if these procedures are not provided in the plan, in the manner determined by the board of directors. If articles of conversion have been filed with the director but the conversion has not become effective, the conversion may be abandoned if a statement, executed on behalf of the converting entity by an officer or other duly authorized representative and stating that the plan of conversion has been abandoned in accordance with applicable law, is filed with the director prior to the effective date of the conversion. If the director finds that the statement satisfies the requirements provided by law, the director, after all fees have been paid shall:

(1) Stamp the word “Filed” on the statement and the date of the filing;
(2) File the document in the director’s office; and
(3) Issue a certificate of abandonment to the converting entity or its authorized representatives.
(f) Once the statement provided in subsection (e) is filed with the director, the conversion shall be deemed abandoned and shall not be effective.

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