Jesse J. T. Smith

J. George Hetherington is the President of the firm and Chair of its Corporate Department. He has been with the firm since 1978 and his practice is focused in the areas of corporate and health care law.Mr. Hetherington's corporate practice revolves around mergers, acquisitions, divestures, capital formation, securities law, joint ventures, contract negotiation and preparation and other transactional work for new and established Hawaii businesses and national and international companies doing ...

Joy Miyasaki is a Partner in the firm’s Honolulu office, and a member of the Tax, Estate Plan and Trust Administration practice group, concentrating in tax and estate planning, wealth preservation and asset protection, charitable planning and tax-exempt organizations, trust and estate administration, and trust and estate disputes and litigation. Joy received an A.B. and J.D. from Georgetown University. Her prior experience includes being a trial attorney with the IRS Office of Chief Cou...

Alison M. Davidson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law. Alison M., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alison M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

MAILE M. HIROTA is the Manager of Hirota & Associates, LLLC, concentrating in business and family-based immigration law, including family visas, business and investor visas, deportation & removal defense, permanent residence and U.S. citizenship matters. Ms. Hirota has been selected by her peers as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in the field of immigration law each year since 2008. She has been named the Best Lawyers’ Honolulu Immigration Law “Lawyer of t...

Lex R. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Lex R., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lex R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jodi S. Yamamoto is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Communications Law, Real Estate Law and Water Law. Jodi S., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jodi S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Megan Lim practices in the firm’s Wills, Trusts & Estates practice group with a focus on estate planning, probate and trust litigation, conservatorship and guardianship proceedings, and trust and estate administration. Megan has once again been named to the 2025 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America list in the practice areas of Trusts & Estates and Litigation-Trusts & Estates. She is a graduate of the University of Washington, School of Law where she worked in the Chi...

Michelle K. Correia is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Real Estate. Michelle K., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michelle K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Craig K. Shikuma is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Construction Law. Craig K., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Craig K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A. Bernard “Bernie” Bays is a Director of the firm. Mr. Bays has over 50 years of experience successfully representing clients in over 150 landmark Hawaii litigation cases. Mr. Bays focuses his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, business litigation, real estate litigation, trusts and estates litigation, legal malpractice law-defendant litigation, real estate law and land use and zoning law. Mr. Bays is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the National Board o...