Best Lawyers in Hawaii, United States for Land Use and Zoning Law
Craig G. Nakamura is the Administrative Partner in the firm's Maui Office and is a member of the Litigation practice group. He concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate and general corporate law. Mr. Nakamura has extensive experience in commercial real estate, civil litigation, construction disputes, foreclosures, mediation and arbitration. He was recently selected by attorney peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 in the fields of Litigation - Real Estate and Rea...
Puananionaona P. Thoene is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Water Law. Puananionaona P., 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 Puananionaona P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Rodd H. Yano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Rodd H., 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 Rodd H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Kenneth B. Marcus is a founding partner and Director Emeritus of Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher. Before his retirement from the practice of law, Mr. Marcus practiced for more than 45 years in the areas of commercial real estate, development, finance, leasing, acquisitions and sales. Mr. Marcus also had extensive experience in Hawaii business law, including the formation of partnerships and limited liability companies and corporate finance. His real estate work included the developmen...
William Meheula’s practice areas include complex commercial litigation, real estate litigation, legal malpractice, administrative law, divorce cases and Native Hawaiian rights. Mr. Meheula’s real estate litigation practice involves disputes concerning purchase and sale agreements, joint venture agreements, financial agreements, and regarding entitlement, condemnation, environmental, archaeological, and hotel and resort issues. His administrative law practice includes proceedings b...
Ms. Ohira is a Director of the firm and concentrates her practice in the areas of real estate and land use law, hotels and resorts, business structure and operations, and commercial transactions. She brings more than 15 years of experience to her work on a variety of real estate acquisitions and sales, commercial leasing and commercial residential developments, including representing condominium associations and the creation of in condominium and community developments. Ms. Ohira’s comm...
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...
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...
Derek B. Simon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Derek B., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Derek B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ms. Strona is a Director of the firm. Ms. Strona focuses her practice in the areas of commercial real estate transactions, leasing, commercial asset and equity sales and acquisitions, and corporate law. Ms. Strona has been selected to the Hawaii Super Lawyers® list since 2025, and the Hawaii Super Lawyers®, "Rising Star" list in the practice area of Real Estate Law since 2020. Ms.Strona has been named to T he Best Lawyers in America ® 2027 list in the practice areas of Corporate L...
Ivan M. Lui-Kwan was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii. He has practiced law for over 55 years, focusing on Hawaii’s land use, administrative and real estate law. Mr. Lui-Kwan is highly involved in the community, bringing his legal experience to further goals which support Hawaii’s future. Mr. Lui-Kwan is a Director of the law firm. He is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in the practice areas of Real Estate Law, Leisure & Hospitality Law, Land Use & Zoning Law,...
Joseph A. Stewart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Government Contracts, Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation - Land Use and Zoning. Joseph A., 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 Joseph A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Robert Strand is a partner in the firm's Honolulu office and is a member of the Real Estate, Land Use & Hospitality Practice Group. He concentrates his practice on complex real estate transactions, commercial leasing, equipment leasing, water law and public utilities matters. Mr. Strand is listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2018 for Real Estate. Representative Matters Commercial Leasing Represents the Ala Moana Shopping Center in connection with commercial leas...
Terry is one of the most experienced real estate and restaurant attorneys in Hawaii and is a licensed real estate broker. In his roughly 40 years of practice, Terry has represented a "who's who" list of local and national developers, hoteliers, investors and entrepreneurs on a wide variety of Hawaii real estate acquisition, development, business, hotel and restaurant matters. Terry's current clients include Safeway, Inc., Parallel Capital Partners, Roy's Holdings, Inc., Outback Steakhouse, In...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.