PARTNERS
Gary O. Galiher (Senior Partner) born Montebello, California; admitted to bar, 1977, Hawaii; U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii; 1985, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of California at Los Angeles (B.A., 1968); University of Hawaii (M.A., 1971; J.D., 1977). Co-Author: Chapter, "Settlement Strategy & Tactics," Asbestos Health Effects, Treatment and Control, V. 11 of Sourcebook on Asbestos Disease, 1995; "The Legal Aspects of the Latex Protein Allergy Epidemic," Hawaii Medical Journal, Vol. 58, No. 6, June 1999. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association; The American Association for Justice. Reported Cases: In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: Kaiu, Sawyer, et al., 960 F.2d 806 (9th Cir. 1992); Nobriga v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 67 Haw. 157, 683 P.2d 389 (1984); Johnson v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 69 Haw. 287, 740 P.2d 548 (1987); In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: Nakagawara, Lee-Kwai, et.al., 715 F. Supp. 298 (D. Haw. 1988); Johnson v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 829 F.2d 907 (9th Cir. 1987); In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: Chang, Chun, 847 F.2d 523 (9th Cir. 1988); In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: (Judge Belloni's consolidated Pearl Harbor cases), 665 F.Supp. 1454 (D. Haw. 1986); Hao v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., 738 P.2d 416 (1987); In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: Carvalho, 871 F.2d 891 (9th Cir. 1989); Carvalho v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 794 F.2d 454 (9th Cir. 1986); Tomita v. Hotel Service Center, 2 Hawaii App. 157, 628 P.2d 205 (1981). Practice Areas: Asbestos Litigation; Personal Injury; Products Liability.
L. Richard DeRobertis (Partner) born Tucson, Arizona; admitted to bar, 1979, California; 1980, U.S. District Court, Central District of California; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; 1982, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: University of California at Berkeley (B.A., with distinction, 1976); Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California (J.D., 1979). Associate Editor, California Law Review, 1977-1979. Co-Author: Chapter, "Settlement Strategy and Tactics," Asbestos Health Effects, Treatment and Control, Volume 11 of Sourcebook on Asbestos Disease, 1995; "The Legal Aspects of the Latex Protein Allergy Epidemic," Hawaii Medical Journal, Vol. 58, No. 6, June 1999. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association; The American Association for Justice. Reported Cases: In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases; Kaiu, Sawyer, et al., 980 F.2d 806 (9th Cir. 1992) (striking the military contract defense as a matter of federal law in asbestos litigation); Nobriga v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 67 Haw. 157, 683 P.2d 389 (1984) (striking the military specification defense as a matter of state law); Johnson v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 69 Haw. 287, 740 P.2d 548 (1987) (striking all elements of scienter in strict products liability under Hawaii law for consumer expectations); Carvalho v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 794 F.2d 454 (9th Cir. 1986) (adopting a three-pronged discovery rule for statute of limitations and placing burden of proof on defendant); Johnson v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc., 829 F.2d 907 (9th Cir. 1987) (striking all elements of scienter in strict products liability, including failure-to-warn defect claims); Hao v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., 69 Haw. 231, 738 P.2d 416 (1987) (adopting pure comparative fault in strict products liability cases); In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: Chang, Chun, 847 F.2d 523 (9th Cir. 1988); In re Hawaii Federal Asbestos Cases: Carvalho, 871 F.2d 891 (9th Cir. 1989) (holding lack of knowledge of violation of duty prevents statute of limitations from accruing); Wright v. State Farm Mutual Auto Ins. Co., 86 Haw. 357, 949 P.2d 197 (Haw.App. 1997); Anzai v. Chevron Corp., 168 F.Supp 2d 1180 (D. Haw. 2001). Practice Areas: Asbestos Litigation; Personal Injury; Antitrust.
Jeffrey T. Ono (Partner) born Honolulu, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 1980, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., Political Science, 1977); University of Wisconsin (J.D., 1980). Phi Beta Kappa; Order of the Coif. Recipient, J. Watamull Scholarship for Academic Achievement. Note and Comment Editor, Wisconsin Law Review, 1979-1980. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations; The American Association for Justice. Practice Areas: Toxic Torts; Personal Injury; Hotel and Resort Law; Antitrust.
ASSOCIATES
Diane T. Ono (Associate) born Honolulu, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 1991, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa (B.A., with distinction, 1973); William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii at Honolulu (J.D., 1991). Member: Hawaii State Bar Association; The American Association for Justice; Hawaii Women Lawyers. Practice Areas: Personal Injury.
Ilana K. Waxman (Associate) born Wailuku, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 2007, California, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: Wesleyan University (B.A., with highest honors, 2000; Phi Beta Kappa); Hastings College of the Law, University of California (J.D., Valedictorian, summa cum laude, 2006). Order of the Coif; Thurston Society. Member, Hastings Law Journal, 2004-2005. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Asbestos Litigation; Personal Injury; Products Liability; Qui Tam Litigation.
OF COUNSEL
Anthony Y. K. Kim (Of Counsel) born Honolulu, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 1966, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1962); University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1965). Member: Hawaii State Bar Association; The American Association for Justice. Reported Cases: Government Employees Insurance Company v. Estate of Dizol, 176 F. Supp.2d 1005 (D. Hawaii 2001); Ingledue v. Dyer, cert. denied, 85 Haw. 84, 196 (1997). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Construction Litigation; Hotel and Resort Law; Products Liability.