Hawai‘i Lawyers of the Year 2017

Who is the best of the best? Says Best Lawyers, “The lawyers being honored as ‘Lawyers of the Year’ were selected because they received particularly high ratings from most of their peers. In some cases, they also received particularly effusive comments from some of those same peers. The selected lawyers have earned a high level of respect among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity.”

 

Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is honored as a “Lawyer of the Year” each year. Congratulations to all. 

 

John R. Aube, Banking and Finance Law

 

Sidney K. Ayabe, Personal Injury Litigation—Defendants

 

Mark J. Bennett, Litigation—Insurance

 

William A. Bordner, Legal Malpractice Law—Defendants

 

Trevor A. Brown, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law

 

KahBo Dye-Chiew, Immigration Law

 

Collin M. Fritz, Personal Injury Litigation—Plaintiffs

 

Gary O. Galiher, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions—Plaintiffs

 

Rhonda L. Griswold, Trusts and Estates

 

Gregory M. Hansen, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

 

Jerry M. Hiatt, Employment Law—Individuals

 

William S. Hunt, Medical Malpractice Law—Defendants

 

Michelle C. Imata, Financial Services Regulation Law

 

William M. Kaneko, Government Relations Practice

 

James A. Kawachika, Litigation—Trusts and Estates

 

Grace Nihei Kido, Environmental Law

 

Simon Klevansky, Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

 

John L. Knorek, Labor Law—Management

 

Nenad Krek, Admiralty and Maritime Law

 

Gregory W. Kugle, Litigation—Land Use and Zoning

 

Kenneth R. Kupchak, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law

 

Corianne W. Lau, Litigation—Labor and Employment

 

Michael K. Livingston, Medical Malpractice Law—Plaintiffs

 

Howard K.K. Luke, Criminal Defense—General Practice

 

Kenneth B. Marcus, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

 

Donna C. Marron, Litigation—Environmental

 

Michael R. Marsh, Arbitration

 

Chris S. Mashiba, Litigation and Controversy—Tax

 

William C. McCorriston, Product Liability Litigation—Plaintiffs

 

William Meheula, Bet-the-Company Litigation

 

Joy M. Miyasaki, Tax Law

 

Craig I. Nakanishi, Energy Law

 

David A. Nakashima, Litigation—Construction

 

Michael J. O’Malley, Corporate Law

 

Lawrence S. Okinaga, Litigation—Banking and Finance

 

Judith Ann Pavey, Legal Malpractice Law—Plaintiffs

 

Michael M. Purpura, Appellate Practice

 

Stephanie A. Rezents, Family Law

 

Marc E. Rousseau, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

 

Gregory M. Sato, Employment Law—Management

 

Eric A. Seitz, Criminal Defense—White Collar

 

Cuyler E. Shaw, Health Care Law

 

Randall K. Steverson, Real Estate Law

 

Robert H. Thomas, Land-Use and Zoning Law

 

Terry E. Thomason, Administrative/Regulatory Law

 

Susan Tius, Litigation—Bankruptcy

 

Robert D. Triantos, Litigation—Real Estate

 

George W. Van Buren, Insurance Law

 

Keith Y. Yamada, Construction Law

 

Patrick K.S.L. Yim, Mediation