What Sets You Apart?
My involvement with the family food/restaurant business and the development of a shopping center in which the family business is an anchor tenant. Being involved in the day-to-day operations of a business other than law and going through the development process provides a whole different level of expertise and understanding of clients’ issues and problems.

Describe Your Proudest Accomplishment:
My proudest accomplishment is actually shared with my husband, Nelson: our three kids who have each matured into intelligent, hard-working and considerate young adults.

Greatest Contribution To The Community?
For about 25 years, I have been actively involved as a Board Member with the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center. During that time, we grew from an idea, to a 5,000 square foot facility in Dole Cannery, to a world class facility in Kakaako.

What Free Advice Can You Offer?
As Shakespeare said: “Don’t shoot the lawyers!”

EDUCATION: Purdue University, B.A. (Magna Cum Laude); Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. (Order of the Coif, Articles Editor – Law Review)

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS: Fellow, American College of Mortgage Attorneys; member, Board of Directors of the Hawai‘i Children’s Discovery Center; co-editor, Hawai‘i Real Estate and Financing Manuals (1988, 1990, 1997, 2008 and 2009)
HONORS: Best Lawyers Banking (1995-present); Best Lawyers Real Estate (1997-present); Chambers USA Leading Lawyers Real Estate (2004-present)

INTERESTING RECENT PROJECTS: Devised documentation to implement the transfer of federal lands to a developer/contractor in exchange for the future construction of infrastructure needed for military housing, in a project intended to serve as a prototype for similar military needs throughout the country.

Negotiated complex construction loan documentation for regional shopping center, hotel and condominium projects.

Documented conversion of a multiple warehouse project to a commercial condominium to enable the lender to dispose of the REO in a manner that would achieve the highest return.