Best Lawyers Near You in Honolulu, Hawaii
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Practice Areas
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...
Trevor A. Brown represents clients in both litigation and transactions. His real estate experience ranges from resort acquisition and development to acting as trial counsel to establish beach access rights based on Kingdom of Hawaii land use. Mr. Brown's corporate experience ranges from negotiating corporate restructurings to acting as trial counsel to force the break-up of related land development corporations. Mr. Brown counsels trustees and beneficiaries in trust matters and also represent...
Mr. Char has substantial experience in the areas of real estate acquisitions, sales, financing and development, commercial leasing, public finance, condominium hotels, and related areas. He has participated in transactions involving the acquisition, financing, development, operation, and/or sale of resort hotels, commercial office buildings, shopping centers, residential condominium projects, timeshare projects, vacant land, on-going business concerns, franchises, and residential and agricult...
Norman H.Y. Cheng is Managing Director of the firm. Mr. Cheng concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate, commercial leasing, business structuring, hotels and resorts, and general commercial transactions. His experience includes working on a variety of projects such as condominium development, land use permitting, structured finance, construction agreements and business sales. Mr. Cheng holds Martindale-Hubbell's ® highest possible professional rating AV® given to him by ot...
Douglas S. Chin has extensive experience in state and federal courts, from Hawaii to the United States Supreme Court, and experience in managing state and local government agencies at the highest levels. Mr. Chin focuses his practice in commercial litigation, administrative law, and government relations. Mr. Chin is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® ; the highest rating possible, for his skill and integrity. Mr. Chin has been named to the The Best Lawyers in America® lis...
Born and raised in Hawaii, Gail has been practicing law in Hawaii for more than 40 years. She represents Hawaii's major private and public hospitals and medial centers, physicians and other health care providers in medical malpractice cases before the Medical Inquiry Conciliation Panel (MICP) and in state and federal courts. Gail has also represented medical device manufacturers and building product manufacturers in multi-million dollar product liability litigation. Gail is an active member o...
Tom Daniel concentrates his law practice in federal and State tax planning, resolution of tax disputes, organization and structuring of business ventures, solving practical business legal problems, purchases and sales of businesses, structuring and acquiring real property interests, and structuring tax-advantaged means for acquiring, holding, operating and disposing of real estate and business investments. Mr. Daniel also provides estate and trust planning advice and services for his clients....
Mark Davis, a graduate of Tulane University and Washington University School of Law, has focused his law practice over the last thirty years representing injured victims in cases involving serious personal injury and medical malpractice . Mr. Davis has been extremely active in civil rights litigation throughout the State of Hawaii. He was on The National Board of Directors of the ACLU and was one of Hawaii’s most active civil rights lawyers serving as lead counsel in numerous first amen...
Gavin was born and reared in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, graduating from McKinley High School, and receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law in Denver, Colorado. Gavin opened his practice upon receiving his bar admission in 1995. Previously, Gavin worked with the Child Support Enforcement Agency and the AmeriCorps Domestic Violence Clinic. An advocate of pro bono legal wo...
Steve Egesdal is a Partner in the firm's Honolulu office and is a member of the Transactional practice group. He concentrates his practice on business structure and operations. Steve has assisted a wide variety of business entities in the formation, acquisition, operation, reorganization, and dissolution of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships and limited liability limited partnerships. He also has extensive litigation experience, and draws o...
Mr. Engle's practice focuses in the areas of real estate litigation, construction contracts and disputes, and complex business litigation. Examples of Mr. Engle's work include: Constitutional Law. Represented a national REIT in a highly publicized constitutional challenge of legislation affecting the methods for calculating lease rent under long-term industrial ground leases. Successfully obtained ruling declaring statute unconstitutional under the contracts and equal protection clauses of th...
Joseph A. Ernst is a Director of the firm and a member of the employment law department. His practice involves counseling and defending employers in all aspects of employment law, including defense of wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and retaliation claims. He also assists clients with employer compliance with state and federal employment and labor laws. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment, Employment Litigation, Employment Compliance, Labor Relations
Matt Evans is a Director of Damon Key and practices in the firm’s Business & Commercial Law, Real Estate, Construction Law, Creditors’ Rights, Insurance, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, and Appeals practice groups. With a primary focus on commercial disputes, Matt aims to provide legal services in a manner that places his clients’ goals at the center, with a mind toward helping them prevent disputes before they occur and, when necessary, resolve disputes by finding ...
Tred once again was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Litigation-Insurance. He was also named Best Lawyers® 2022 Litigation Insurance “Lawyer of the Year” in Honolulu. A designation given to a single attorney in each practice group by metropolitan area. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among their peers for their ab...
Duane R. Fisher concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate law, hotels and resorts, construction law, business structure and operations and commercial transactions. Mr. Fisher has represented a wide range of business organizations, from hotel owners, telecommunications companies, general contractors, Wall Street investment firms and multi-billion dollar energy development companies to closely held corporations and sole proprietors, in both private transactions and before federal an...
Stacey W.E. Foy is a director and shareholder and is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. She has substantial experience in purchase and sale, development and financing transactions. Ms. Foy has negotiated and documented purchase and sale transactions involving D.R. Horton- Schuler Homes, LLC, Marriott International, Inc., Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, Crescent Heights Acquisitions, Grove Farm Company, Incorporated and its subsidiaries, among other clients. She...
Brenda Hustis Gotanda is a partner with the law firm of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP and leads the firm’s sustainability practice group. She has over 25 years of experience representing and counseling business clients on environmental matters, including regulatory compliance, permitting, transactions, project development, and enforcement. She provides strategic guidance to clients seeking to reduce risk and enhance value by integrating environmental compliance and sustainability i...
Joanne Grimes is a Partner in the firm’s Honolulu Office and is licensed to practice law in Hawaii and Guam. She has over two decades of experience in representing institutional businesses, nonprofit organizations, and private and charitable trusts in matters involving governance, employment & employee benefits, procurement, contracts, proprietary rights protection, fiduciary duties and trust administration. Ms. Grimes is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and is acti...
Gregory M. Hansen, Of Counsel, concentrates his practice in the areas of employee benefits; stock option, stock purchase and equity incentive plans; general corporate and business law; and state and federal income tax controversy matters, with an emphasis on employee stock ownership plans (ESOP) and custom designed retirement arrangements. While an attorney with the U.S. Treasury Department, Mr. Hansen tried U.S. civil tax cases and helped prepare criminal fraud tax cases for review by the U....
Jeffrey S. Harris represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. He has over 36 years of experience. Mr. Harris has successfully resolved many cases involving each above area, by discussion, settlement, administrative decision, motion practice, jury verdict or opinion on appeal. He has helped effectively negotiate several collective bargaining agreements, serving as spokesperson, member or advisor to the team. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment, Employment Litigation, Empl...
William Harstad is a Partner in the firm's Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution practice group. He has experience in numerous arbitrations and litigations, with amounts in dispute ranging from the tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars. Mr. Harstad has also represented both secured and unsecured creditors in bankruptcy proceedings on both the East Coast and in Hawai`i, including in various adversary proceedings.Mr. Harstad's litigation experience is broad and...
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, Diane’s practice focuses on complex litigation and dispute resolution. Prior to joining the firm in 1978, she was an extern to the Honorable Herbert Choy, Circuit Judge, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Diane is involved in a number of professional and community activities, servicing on the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court, as a national director of Easter Seals, Inc., as well as a director of Easter Seals Hawaii and ...
Ronald I. Heller has been practicing law in Honolulu for over 30 years, in the areas of tax litigation, business/commercial litigation, taxation and business law. He received both JD and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant as well as an attorney. Mr. Heller is a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, and a past Chair of the Tax Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association. He has litigated tax cases at the county, state, and federa...
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 ...
Mr. Higa focuses on commercial litigation, construction disputes, and tax controversies. He has experience handling various types of business, real estate, construction, tort, bankruptcy and tax matters in Hawaii State and Federal Courts, as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Higa’s experience includes favorable settlements and decisions for his clients in mediation and arbitration, on dispositive motions in court, on appeal, and through trial, including a jury verdict in e...
Brian T. Hirai joined the firmin 1996 as a member of its business/real estate department. His practice is concentrated primarily in public finance.He has over 40 years of experience as a public finance attorney, serving variously as bond counsel, issuer’s counsel, underwriter’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, trustee’s counsel and credit enhancer’s counsel in a broad range of taxable and tax-exempt bond issues for state and local governmental units, including govern...
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...
Robert Katz, Director, has been practicing law in Hawaii for over 40 years. During that time he has counseled and represented Hawaii, Mainland and International based clients in both the private and public sectors in antitrust, business, employment and labor and health care transactions and litigation. Mr. Katz has appeared successfully before Hawaii and federal administrative agencies, arbitrators and Hawaii and federal courts. He has also represented both public and private Hawaii, mainland...
Mr. Keiley is an accomplished attorney with a primary focus on real estate sales and acquisitions, development of residential and commercial projects, and commercial leasing. With a wealth of experience in representing clients across a broad spectrum of real estate matters, he brings a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in the acquisition, sale, leasing and development of real property in Hawaii, including the development of commercial and residential condominium projects...
John Khil is the Chair of the firm's Tax practice group, and concentrates in tax law with an emphasis on pensions, profit sharing and employee benefits. He is a former attorney-advisor in the Employee Plans and Exempt Organizations Division, Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for providing legal opinions, drafting Treasury regulations, and assisting in the formulation of tax legislation relating to pension and welfare plans. Mr. Khi...
Mr. Klevansky’s practice emphasizes commercial law, business litigation, bankruptcy law and reorganization, fraudulent transfers, and creditors’ rights. He counsels corporate and individual clients related to collection and payment of secured and unsecured claims and judgments, foreclosures and other post-judgment remedies through litigation, arbitration and less formal proceedings. Mr. Klevansky graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, earning a Bachelor's o...
John L. Knorek, a Director at the firm, provides counsel and representation to large and small employers in all aspects of employment and wrongful discharge law. His practice also includes collective bargaining negotiations, affirmative action compliance, mediation and arbitration. He provides training to businesses on employment discrimination and preventative personnel practices, including family leave, disability law and sexual harassment. Mr. Knorek is a founding co-editor of the Hawaii C...
Karl Kobayashi concentrates his practice in the area of commercial real estate with an emphasis on sales, acquisitions, leasing, financing and development. He also practices in the area of entitlements (land use and zoning law) and has represented clients in contested case and other regulatory proceedings before agencies such as the State of Hawai`i Land Use Commission, the Hawai`i Community Development Authority (Kaka`ako), the City and County of Honolulu Zoning Board of Appeals, the Maui Pl...
Christine was born and reared in Japan. She is the President of Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert, and practices in the firm’s Corporate, Commercial, and Real Estate Law practice groups, primarily with Japanese-speaking clients. To address the needs of her Japanese clients, her practice also encompasses Immigration Law, Estate Planning and Employment matters. She is a past Director of Meritas, a worldwide affiliation of commercial law firms, which has members in over 254 global markets. D...
Greg Kugle concentrates his practice in the area of litigation. He works in the areas of commercial disputes and business litigation, construction, land use and real estate, antitrust, product liability and personal injury, aviation, bankruptcy, admiralty and insurance coverage. He has litigated cases before the Hawaii District and Circuit Courts, the Hawaii Bankruptcy Court and United States District Court, and has handled appeals before the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals, the Hawaii S...
Ken is a Fellow in the American College of Construction Lawyers, and has served on the Governing Committee of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry. He has degrees in chemistry from Cornell and meteorology from Penn State. In 1996, Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences named him a Centennial Fellow. He was a meteorologist for 4 years, serving as General Staff Weather Briefing Officer in Saigon, Vietnam (7th Air Force), and Chief Forecaster ...