W. Keoni Shultz

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...

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...

Dean T. Yamamoto is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law and Real Estate Law. Dean T., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dean T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gerald A. Sumida is a partner in Carlsmith Ball LLP's Honolulu office and Chair of the firm's Corporate & Business Practice Group. He concentrates on business structuring and operations, including corporate, limited liability company, joint venture and partnership matters; business acquisitions; sales and mergers; securities law; start-up company and venture capital financing; administrative and public utilities law; energy law, including energy project development and project finance; an...

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...

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...

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...

James Blaine Rogers III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. James Blaine, who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James Blaine is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Elijah is a commercial litigator. He counsels clients in litigation and non-litigation contexts regarding Internet and information technology law, environmental regulation, health care, and First Amendment rights. He chairs the Digital Media, Internet and Information Technology Law practice group and the Health Care practice group. As a business litigator, Elijah represents clients ranging from publicly traded companies to sole proprietors in disputes concerning a variety of subject matters i...

Robert Aaron Creps is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Robert Aaron, who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert Aaron is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.