Hawaii Lawyers

Barry Sooalo has practiced law in the courts of Washington D.C., Hawaii and American Samoa. Barry's Sooalo's broad and highly specialized experience in the areas of criminal law, government relations, lobbying and legislation, customs law, business transactions, civil litigation, and appellate law, makes him a much sought after litigator and legal counsel in Hawaii for clients from Hawaii and for clients from abroad who require legal counsel and representation for legal matters in Hawaii and elsewhere. Mr. Sooalo is a veteran of the US Army.

Mr. Yoo's practice focuses on tax and bankruptcy litigation. He has represented clients in both criminal and civil cases against the California Franchise Tax Board, State Board of Equalization and Employment Development Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He has handled matters including IRS and sales tax audits, tax fraud investigations, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) and innocent spouse claims. Mr. Yoo also represents debtors and creditors in Chapter 7, 11 & 13 bankruptcy proceedings, including tax bankruptcy cases.

Lauren has served as a deputy prosecuting attorney in the counties of Hawaii and Maui. Previous to that she practiced with small firms in the areas of immigration, criminal, estate planning, probate, and divorce.

J. Porter DeVries began his career at the Wall Street firm of Segal Gebski, where he represented clients encountering construction, business, real estate, and international disputes. With Condominium and Community Association clients, Porter focuses on enabling Boards of Directors to establish and maintain the highest standards of good governance. Underscoring the firm’s proactive approach, he leads DeVries’ preventative counseling and strategic planning services, as well as ensuring that Boards are legally protected in disputes and thrive in the myriad aspects of governing Hawaii’s diverse associations. Leading the firm’s Real Estate and Commercial Litigation sector, Porter routinely...

Kenneth Marcus has over thirty-five years of experience in the areas of commercial real estate development, finance, leasing, purchases and sales. He also has extensive experience in the formation of partnerships and limited liability companies, and corporate finance. His real property practice includes the development, acquisition, sale, financing and restructuring of hotels, office buildings and shopping centers, with particular expertise in the hotel industry.

Na Lan's practice areas include immigration law, condominium and community association law, business and real property transactions, and dispute resolution for Mandarin-speaking investors and business owners. Born and raised in China, she is fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English.

She earned her law degree from the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. She was the Managing Editor of the Asia Pacific Law & Policy Journal, and also served as an intern for Judge Craig Nakamura of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals. For three years, she was a legal research assistant...

Paul Aker helps people who have been hurt, ripped or stepped on. He uses his skill as a lawyer, background an investigative reporter and the power of the courts to fight for victims' rights. Before becoming a lawyer, Paul was as an investigative journalist. He exposed fraud, corruption and consumer issues. Paul earned a juris doctor degree from Capital University while he worked as a reporter for WBNS-TV. Paul graduated magna cum laude with a concentration in civil litigation. He served as an associate editor on law review. Paul also had the privilege of working...

Bridget represents clients in a wide range of civil and commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on consumer class actions. Her experience includes representation of injured consumers against hotels, restaurants, banks, and other corporations, of debtors, creditors, and bankruptcy trustees in bankruptcy litigation matters, and of citizens and public figures in civic matters of public importance. Bridget has practiced in the State, Federal District, and Bankruptcy Courts of Hawaii and Washington State, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and has argued before the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. Bridget was named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers from 2013-2017 and...

Peter S.R. Olson is an attorney who handles a wide variety of matters, including: litigation (civil, family, and criminal), transactional, and business formation/advisement in Kona and Kamuela.

He was born and raised in South Kona on the Big Island of Hawai`i. He is the son of John L. Olson, founder of the firm. Peter has assisted his father at the firm since he was five years old.
Peter received his Juris Doctor and Environmental Law Certificate from Univerisity of Hawai`i at Manoa's William S. Richardson School of Law in 2005. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Glenn...

I am a German & U.S. attorney practicing bankruptcy and criminal defense law. In addition, I am providing cost-efficient legal services in civil & commercial litigation. For more information please visit www.petersonlawhawaii.com

John L. Olson is an attorney who handles a wide variety of matters from litigation (civil, probate, trust disputes); advising businesses in day to day matters, including contracts and management; transactional work for individuals and business; criminal defense; to Estate Planning in Kona and Kamuela. As a sole practioner he gained a width breadth of knowledge to assist his clients in just about anything. He was born and raised on the Island of O`ahu, and moved to Kona in 1973 with his wife. There, they raised two sons: Robert and Peter Olson, both of whom are...

Amy Lawson Woodward is an associate attorney at the Law Office of William H. Lawson, concentrating her practice in the area of plaintiffs' personal injury litigation. Prior to joining her father's firm in 2016, Ms. Woodward practiced law at Carlsmith Ball LLP (one of the top corporate law firms in Hawaii), focusing predominantly on litigating commercial disputes.

Ms. Woodward is ranked in the "Top 10 Under 40" personal injury attorneys in Hawaii by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys (NAOPIA). She has obtained favorable awards for injured individuals at arbitration and successfully advocated for clients in...

Judith Ann Pavey has been successfully handling personal injury cases in Hawaii since 1977 and is continuing with that important work in her position at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher. The law firm has been ranked by U.S. News-Best Lawyers in America since 2010 as Best Law Firm in its core business of Real Estate Law and Commercial Litigation, and also Personal Injury Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law and Product Liability Litigation (since 2012), solely based on Ms. Pavey's contribution. Ms. Pavey has been named by Best Lawyers in America,Lawyer of the Year in Honolulu in the practice...

Diligent and Tenacious Representation, Realistic and Practical Solutions

With a dynamic focus on the practicalities and goals of my clients, I concentrate my law practice in: Dispute Resolution and Litigation /and/ Business and Transactional Law.

- Dispute Resolution and Litigation: As a tenacious advocate for my clients, I have successfully litigated in the Federal U.S. District Court, Hawaii’s Circuit and District Courts, and the Intermediate Court of Appeals. My experience in alternative dispute resolution includes mediation and arbitration, both as counsel for clients and as the mediator/arbitrator.

- Business and Transactional Law: My transactional practice includes the full...

Mark Davis has been recognized as one of the best trial lawyers in Hawaii and in the United States. Mr. 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. He has achieved record verdicts and settlements in Hawaii for numerous cases over the course of his career.

I was born and raised in central Missouri and received my bachelor's degree in International Studies from the University of Missouri in 1996. Following graduation, I moved to Honolulu and attended the University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law where I received my juris doctorate in 1999. After receiving my JD, I served as a law clerk to the Honorable Victoria S. Marks in the First Circuit Court of the State of Hawaii. In 2000, I accepted a position as a Deputy Public Defender for the State of Hawaii and began my legal career working...

Successful, affordable criminal, DUI, traffic, and general practice attorney Damir Kouliev based on Maui. Call or text the Kouliev firm at 808-854-7558 for quality legal representation that you can afford, with the personal attention that your case requires. 24 hour service available.

As an attorney and counselor at law, Christopher D. Thomas has founded his practice on the principles of assertive, energetic, yet personable representation of clients who face the most difficult of legal challenges. Chris understands the daunting tasks facing those he represents, and approaches these problems with the most proactive and resourceful strategies available. He knows that clients want real results, want them quickly, and in the most cost-effective manner possible. Whether via aggressive courtroom litigation, use of alternative dispute resolution, or just practical down to earth advice, success is founded by moving boldly forward to resolution in the...

John Robert Egan is an experienced Immigration Attorney, and has served as the Chairperson of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Hawaii Chapter in 2008-2009. His immigration law practice experience includes two and a half years as supervising attorney of the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM). His university teaching experience includes five years developing curricula and teaching about Humanitarian Law and Assistance in the Program on Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance at UHM. He has also taught as an adjunct professor at...

Roman was formerly a partner at a large Honolulu law firm and has extensive employment litigation experience and trial preparation, representing both businesses and employees alike, in federal and state courts and before federal and state agencies.

He is on the Employment Law Arbitration Panel for National Arbitration and Mediation and an Arbitrator for the State of Hawaii's Court Annexed Arbitration Program. He was selected a "Top Rated Lawyer in Labor and Employment" by American Lawyer Media, the nation's largest publisher of legal media, including the National Law Journal, the American Lawyer, and Corporate Counsel....

Ms. Hirota began her law practice in Ohio as an associate with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, a large law firm in Cincinnati. After practicing immigration law in Ohio for two years, Ms. Hirota returned to her family in Hawaii and joined Lynch & Farmer in 1997. She was named a partner of Lynch Ichida Thompson Kim & Hirota in 2002 and left that firm to found Hirota & Associates in 2009. Ms. Hirota’s practice concentrates solely in U.S. Immigration and Nationality law. Ms. Hirota is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, having served on the following...

I graduated from the University of Washington law school and was recruited by a Hawaii law firm in 1989. I started my solo practice in Paia in 1994 with a focus on estate planning, probate, real property and small business representation.

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 multibillion dollar energy development companies to closely held corporations and sole proprietors, in both private transactions and before federal and state administrative agencies.

Brown University 1985 BA with Honors.
Bates College of Law (Houston) 1988.

After thirty years of hammering insurance companies in Texas, I chose to live the dream and move to Maui, Hawaii. Texas is tough, and so are the court systems. But I was a winner there, and I'll bring a sharply honed set of skills to bear on your case here in Hawaii. I'm a tough, smart trial lawyer with the resources to file your case and win it. I'll hire experts on liability and damages. I'll cross examine the hell out of the opposing witnesses....

Stephen has historically represented clients in a wide range of civil, commercial litigation matters. He was born in New Jersey, raised in Wilmington, Delaware, attended university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to obtain his juris doctoris from New York University School of Law in 1995, after which, he remained and practiced in New York for 10 years at such international firms as Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy and Morrison & Foerster. Stephen moved to Hawai‘i in 2005 and joined the firm of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, where...

Honolulu real estate attorney Peter Starn has over forty-five years experience in the areas of commercial real estate development and operations. Mr. Starn has extensive experience in corporate finance, mergers, and acquisitions. His real property practice includes the development, sale, acquisition, financing, and restructuring of hotels, office buildings, condominiums, and shopping centers, with particular expertise in the hotel industry. Much of Mr. Starn’s practice centers on international transactions. He has also managed large complex litigation matters for corporate clients and for large land holding trusts in Hawaii. Mr. Starn holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible professional...

Richard Turbin, Esq. is a Honolulu personal injury attorney and a partner at the firm Turbin Chu Heidt, Attorneys at Law. Mr. Turbin has been in private practice for nearly four decades. Attorney Turbin is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and was recently recognized as a Traphagen Distinguished Alumni. He is a former president of the Hawaii State Bar Association. In 1999 and 200, Mr. Turbin served as a chair of the American Bar Association’s Trial and Insurance Practice Section, which has over 40,000 members. Mr. Turbin has also won the section’s 2006 Pursuit of Justice of Award. His...

As a child, Marcus watched an attorney work tirelessly to save his father's life. After 13 years and multiple court hearings the Landsberg family was finally made whole. His family's struggle is his foundation. Of course Marcus was going to be a Trial Attorney after that. Studying in Los Angeles, Arkansas, Hawaii, Japan, and Thailand prepared him to be a public Defender. Since leaving the Public Defender's office after seven years he has been active in Courtrooms around Oahu, giving advice on the radio, and building his reputation for strong trial work.

Although the Law Offices of William H. Lawson are physically located in the State of Hawaii, we have assisted on Hawaii matters for clients and co-counsel from all over the United States and many parts of the world. To date, Mr. Lawson has represented residents of: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Montana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia & Wisconsin as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Guam, Samoa, Korea, Japan, Micronesia & the Philippines....

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. He holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible professional rating (AV) for both his skill and integrity. Mr. Brown is recognized in Best Lawyers in America in ten categories: Business Organization, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Commercial Transactions/UCC...

Kendal was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, and graduated from the Kamehameha Schools. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and his Juris Doctorate from the Houston College of Law (formerly South Texas College of Law) in Houston, Texas. Kendal is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association, the HSBA Family Law Section, and the HSBA Bankruptcy Section, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. He is also a member of the Bradley University Chapter of Delta Tau Delta. Kendal and his wife are the...

Practice limited to representing Federal civil service employees with adverse action, discrimination, security clearance revocation, whistle-blower reprisal, and related labor/employment claims before the MSPB, EEOC, OSC, and mediators/arbitrators. Elbridge W. Smith concentrates almost exclusively in representing individual federal employees, primarily handling MSPB and other appeals, EEO complaints and defenses, at the administrative and federal court levels. He has been in private practice since 1977, with firms concentrating in civil rights and employment litigation, representing various federal and private sector unions and their employees. Mr. Smith is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Hawai'i, Richardson School of Law. He...

Clare Hanusz founded Aloha Immigration in June 2017, after working with the Immigration Practice Group at Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert in an Of Counsel affiliation since October 2013.

Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Clare has lived in Honolulu since 1995 (with an 18-month move to Melbourne, Australia from 2012-2013). After graduating from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College in 1991 she moved to Arizona worked for the Valley Religious Task Force on Central America, advocating for immigrants and more just U.S. foreign policies. The opportunity to meet and work with refugees and their attorneys in Arizona propelled Clare...

James J. Stone was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and is thoroughly familiar with Hawaii’s multiple cultures and the needs of Hawaii’s residents and visitors. He attended St. Louis High School and graduated from the University of Hawaii. He was a member of the first graduating class from the University of Hawaii’s school of law, and has over 30 years of experience. See www.nulaw.net for more info on background and services.

Mitchell S. Wong has been a lawyer in Hawaii since 1991, when he began his career at the law firm of David C. Schutter. At the time, the law firm was known as Schutter & Glickstein, and the focus of the law firm's practice was personal injury and civil litigation. In time, Mr. Wong became a partner at the law firm, which was then restyled as Schutter Dias Smith & Wong. In 2004 Mr. Wong started his present law firm. While Mr. Wong has continued his diverse work in civil litigation, he also expanded his practice to include family...

Jason R. Braswell graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham with a B.S. with honors in biology research and received his J.D. with high honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law. He was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2003, and spent his first six years of practice in the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, practicing in its litigation department. Jason left Skadden and moved to Kailua-Kona to try his hand at entrepreneurship as the co-owner, along with his wife Melissa, of Big Island Running Company, which they built into a thriving running...