(Main Office)

Practicing law in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin requires a different strategy. The truth is, Hawaii's unique economic, cultural and governmental characteristics demand a tailored approach to law. That's where we come in. At Watanabe Ing LLP, we've developed a keen understanding of the complex environment in which the practice of law occurs.

It all started in 1971, when a young group of attorneys founded the firm that is now Watanabe Ing LLP. Our goal was to create a law firm managed and organized differently than the commercial firms of that day. Infused in our new practice were the values of professional excellence, initiative, responsibility and a complete understanding of the environments within which our clients must achieve their goals. Today, Watanabe Ing LLP is recognized as one of the leading law firms in the Pacific.

We believe that good lawyers are more than judicial experts. Keeping abreast of the complex dynamics of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin requires active participation. No wonder our lawyers go beyond law and involve themselves in the ever-changing facets of Hawaii's political, economic and cultural systems, achieving our goals and generating a roster of satisfied clients.

Statement of Practice

Asia Pacific Consulting, Banking and Real Estate, Commercial Litigation, Construction Management and Professional Design Law, Creditors' Rights and Business Law, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Government Contracts and Procurement, Intellectual Property, Technology and Internet Law, Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits, Land Use and Environmental, Non-Profits and Public Affairs.

Representative Clients:

Aloha Airlines, Inc.
Castle & Cooke
City and County of Honolulu
County of Kauai
Deloitte & Touche
First American Title Company
First Hawaiian Bank
Grace Pacific Corporation
Hawaii State Federal Credit Union
Hokuli'a
HTH Corporation
Seibu Railway Co., State of Hawaii
Time Warner Oceanic Cable
University of Hawaii
Waste Management
Woerner Group Resources, Inc.

Address

First Hawaiian Center
999 Bishop Street, 23rd Floor
Honolulu, HI 96813, (Honolulu Co.)

Phone

Phone: 808-544-8300
Facsimile: 808-544-8399

Website

http://www.wik.com

MEMBERS OF FIRM

J. Douglas Ing (Partner) born Honolulu, Hawaii, July 1, 1944; admitted to bar, 1975, Hawaii. Education: University of Washington (B.S.E.E., 1966); University of Denver (J.D., 1974). Commissioner: State Board of Land and Natural Resources, 1981-1989; Commission on Water Resource Management, 1993-1995; Trustee Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate. Director, Lokelani Resort Corp.; Trustee St. Andrews Priory School. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. [Lieut., U.S. Navy, 1966-1971]. Practice Areas: Government and Regulatory Law; Commercial Litigation.Email: J. Douglas Ing

Wray H. Kondo (Partner) born Honokaa, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 1977, Hawaii; U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Oregon State University (B.S., 1973); Georgetown University (J.D., 1977). Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Government and Regulatory Law; Public Utility Law; Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment; Real Estate; Environmental Law.Email: Wray H. Kondo

Ronald Y. K. Leong (Partner) born Wailuku, Hawaii, November 5, 1947; admitted to bar, 1972, Hawaii. Education: Coe College (B.A., 1969); George Washington University (J.D., 1972). Phi Delta Phi (Clerk, 1971-1972); Phi Kappa Phi. Instructor, Business Law I and II, Los Angeles City College, 1975-1976. Deputy Attorney General, State of Hawaii, 1977-1979. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. [Capt., USAF, 1973-1977]. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment Law; Business and Corporate Law.Email: Ronald Y. K. Leong

Robert T. Takamatsu (Partner) born Wailuku, Hawaii, March 2, 1954; admitted to bar, 1980, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1976); University of Southern California (J.D., 1980). Phi Kappa Phi; Phi Alpha Delta. Articles Editor, University of Southern California Law Review, 1979-1980. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Construction Claim; Arbitration and Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Government Contracting.Email: Robert T. Takamatsu

Melvyn M. Miyagi (Partner) born Yokohama, Japan, August 30, 1949; admitted to bar, 1975, Hawaii; 1992, U.S. Supreme Court; 1995, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1971); Santa Clara University (J.D., 1975). Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers; American Board of Trial Advocates. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Complex and Multi-District Litigation; Civil Rights; Insurance; Insurance Defense; Product Liability; Construction Litigation; Civil Trial Practice; Personal Injury Defense.Email: Melvyn M. Miyagi

Pamela J. Larson (Partner) born San Francisco, California, May 3, 1954; admitted to bar, 1985, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1979); William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 1985). Phi Beta Kappa. Member, University of Hawaii Law Review, 1984-1985. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Real Property Law; General Corporate and Commercial Law; Public Utilities Law.Email: Pamela J. Larson

John R. Aube (Partner) born New York, N.Y., July 15, 1952; admitted to bar, 1977, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii; 1992, U.S. Court of International Trade and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Education: University of Notre Dame (B.A., summa cum laude, 1974); Stanford University (J.D., 1977). Phi Beta Kappa. Practice Areas: Finance and Banking Law; Real Estate Law; International Business Transactions.Email: John R. Aube

Jan M.L.Y. Kutsunai (Partner) born Honolulu, Hawaii, May 21, 1958; admitted to bar, 1986, Hawaii; 1992, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1980; M.A., 1983; J.D., 1986). Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Kappa Phi. Member, Moot Court Board. Casenote Editor, University of Hawaii Law Review, 1985-1986. Co-Author: Note, "The Constitutionality of the Hawaii Liquor Tax Statute," Bacchus Importo, Ltd. v. Dias, 7 U. Haw. L. Rev. 387, 1985. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Finance and Banking Law; Real Estate Law; General Corporate and Commercial Law.Email: Jan M.L.Y. Kutsunai

Lani Narikiyo (Partner) born Wahiawa, Hawaii, September 20, 1963; admitted to bar, 1988, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: Pomona College (B.A., 1985); William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 1988). Member: Hawaii State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment Law.Email: Lani Narikiyo

Michael C. Bird (Partner) admitted to bar, 1992, California; 1993, Hawaii. Education: Washington State University; University of Hawaii (B.A., 1987); Santa Clara University (J.D., 1992). Member: Hawaii State Bar Association; State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Construction Law; Contract Law; Construction Litigation; Government Contracting; Environmental Law; Land Use Law; Commercial and Insurance Defense Litigation; Intellectual Property.Email: Michael C. Bird

Wayne K. T. Mau (Partner) born Honolulu, Hawaii, July 17, 1957; admitted to bar, 1983, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.B.A., 1979); California Western School of Law (J.D., 1983). U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee, 2000—. Member: Hawaii State (Member, Sections on: Bankruptcy Law; Real Property Law) and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Real Property; Bankruptcy; Foreclosures; Creditors' Rights.Email: Wayne K. T. Mau

Jonathan W. Y. Lai (Partner) admitted to bar, 1995, Hawaii. Education: Claremont McKenna College (B.A., cum laude, 1991); University of Southern California (J.D., M.B.A., 1995). Secretary and Member, Hawaii Community Development Authority. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association (Former Chair/President, Treasurer and Director, Bankruptcy Law Section; Former Director, Collection Law Section); American Bar Association; American Bankruptcy Institute. Special Agencies: Hawaii Community Development Authority (Chairperson, Former Secretary and Member). Practice Areas: Banking Law; Real Estate Law; Bankruptcy Law; Collection Law; General Corporate Law; Foreclosure and Workouts; Non Profit and Tax Exempt Organization.Email: Jonathan W. Y. Lai

Brian A. Kang (Partner) born Honolulu, Hawaii, June 7, 1968; admitted to bar, 1995, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii; 2002, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa (B.A., 1990); Santa Clara University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1995). Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Reported Cases: Liberty Mutual Fire Ins. Co. v. Dennison, 108 Hawaii 380, 120 P.3d 1115 (2005); Federal Home Loan Mortg. Corp. v. Transamerica Ins. Co., 89 Hawaii 157, 969 P.2d 1275 (1998). Practice Areas: Government Affairs; Cable Communications; Election, Campaign and Political Law; Land Use; Regulatory Law; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Coverage.Email: Brian A. Kang

Gregg M. Ushiroda (Partner) born Honolulu, Hawaii, 1962; admitted to bar, 1992, Hawaii, U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1986); Santa Clara University (J.D., 1992). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Commercial Litigation; Products Liability; Professional Malpractice.Email: Gregg M. Ushiroda

ASSOCIATES

Brandon Davidson (Associate) born Honolulu, Hawaii, December 24, 1973; admitted to bar, 1998, Hawaii. Education: University of California at Berkeley (B.A., 1995); University of California School of Law, Los Angeles (J.D., 1998). Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; Technology Law; Environmental Law; Government Contracting; Collections.Email: Brandon Davidson

Angela T. Thompson (Associate) born Arlington, VA; admitted to bar, 2009, Hawaii. Education: Tufts University (B.A., 2004); University of Hawaii (J.D., 2009).

Ashley R. Masuoka (Associate) born Lihue, Hawaii, July 10, 1971; admitted to bar, 1998, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., 1994; J.D., 1997). Phi Delta Phi. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Foreclosures; Bankruptcy Law; Collection Law.Email: Ashley R. Masuoka

Dustin M. Monroy (Associate) born Wahiawa, Hawaii, July 28, 1979; admitted to bar, 2008, Hawaii. Education: University of Pennsylvania (B.S., 2001); William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 2008). Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations; Urban Land Institute. Languages: English and Spanish. Practice Areas: Creditors Rights(20%); Real Estate Banking Law(60%); Financial Law(20%).Email: Dustin M. Monroy

Gary S. Suganuma (Associate) born Honolulu, Hawaii, August 7, 1966; admitted to bar, 1997, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii (B.B.A., 1991); University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (J.D., 1997). Law Clerk to the Honorable Gail C. Nakatani (1997-1999), Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii; Law Clerk to the Honorable Kevin S.C. Chang (1999-2000), Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Construction Litigation.Email: Gary S. Suganuma

Emi Kaimuloa (Associate) born Honolulu, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 2002, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa (B.A., 1998); William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 2002).Email: Emi Kaimuloa

Lisa S. Hirahara (Associate) born Honolulu, Hawaii, August 12, 1977; admitted to bar, 2004, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii; 2005, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Washington (B.S., 1999); University of Washington School of Law (J.D., 2004). Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Government Affairs; Regulatory Affairs; Land Use; Environmental; Civil Litigation; Real Estate.Email: Lisa S. Hirahara

Christopher Bennett (Associate) born Walnut Creek, California, 1973; admitted to bar, 2004, Hawaii. Education: University of California at Berkeley (B.A., 1995); William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii at Manoa (J.D., 2004). Practice Areas: Government; Regulatory Affairs; Land Use.Email: Christopher Bennett

David Y. Nakashima (Associate) born Seoul, Korea; admitted to bar, 2005, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa (B.A., 2001); University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 2005). Member, University of Hawaii Law Review, 2004-2005. Recipient, CALI Award for Trust and Estates. Author: Comment, "Your Body, Your Choice: How Mandatory Advance Health-Care Directives are Necessary to Protect Your Fundamental Right to Accept or Refuse Medical Treatment," University of Hawaii Law Review, Vol. 27, No. 1, Winter, 2004. Member: Hawaii State and Federal Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation(50%); Collections(35%); Loan Workouts(15%).Email: David Y. Nakashima

Staci M. Uwaine (Associate) born Honolulu, Hawaii, October 17, 1980; admitted to bar, 2005, Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa (B.A., 2002); University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 2005). Practice Areas: Labor and Employment.Email: Staci M. Uwaine

Tami M. Yorimoto (Associate) admitted to bar, 2007, Hawaii. Education: Boston College (B.A., 2004); University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 2007). Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Government Contracts(25%); Government Procurement(25%); Business Law(25%); Creditors' rights(25%).Email: Tami M. Yorimoto

Jeff Lau (Associate) born Wailuku, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 2006, Hawaii. Education: University of Pennsylvania (B.S., 1998); University of Hawaii (J.D., 2006). Delta Theta Phi 2004-2006 (Vice Dean). Author: "Reconsidering Hawaii's HIV Statute: The Need to Protect an Individual's Basic Liberties," University of Hawaii Law Review Vol. 28, Number 1 Winter 2005, 28 University of Hawaii L. Rev. 169. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation(50%); Construction Litigation(50%).Email: Jeff Lau

Ross T. Shinyama (Associate) born Wailuku, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 2007, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: University of Washington (B.A., Accounting, 2004); William S. Richardson School of Law (J.D., 2007);. Delta Theta Phi, Vice Dean (2005-2006); University of Hawaii Law Review, Board Member. Member: Hawaii State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation(100%).Email: Ross T. Shinyama

ASIA PACIFIC CONSULTANTS

Victor Hao Li (Asia Pacific Consultant) born Hong Kong, September 17, 1941; admitted to bar, 1965, New York. (Not admitted in Hawaii). Education: Colgate University; Columbia University (B.A., 1961; J.D., 1964); Harvard University (LL.M., 1965; S.J.D., 1972). Author: "Law and Politics in China's Foreign Trade," University of Washington Press, 1977; "Derecognizing Taiwan," Carnegie Endowment for International Press, 1977; "The Future of Taiwan," M.E. Sharpe, 1980; "Law Without Lawyers," Westview, 1980; "Law in Radically Different Cultures," West, 1983. Instructor: University of Michigan Law School, 1967-1969; Columbia Law School, 1969-1972; Stanford Law School, 1972-1981. President, East-West Center, 1981-1990. Languages: Chinese. Practice Areas: International Business Consultation.Email: Victor Hao Li

George R. Ariyoshi (Asia Pacific Consultant) born Honolulu, Hawaii; admitted to bar, 1952, Hawaii and U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Education: University of Hawaii; Michigan State University (B.A., 1949); University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (J.D., 1952). Territorial Representative, 1954-1958 and Member, Territorial and State Senate, 1958-1970. Lieutenant Governor, 1970-1973, Acting Governor, 1973-1974 and Governor of Hawaii, 1973-1986. Chairman: Western Governors' Conference, 1978; Western Governors' Association, 1985-1986; Pacific Basin Development Council, 1980-1981; Chairman, Board of Governors, East-West Center, 1997-2003. Advisory Committee Member, Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, 1991-2001. President, Prince Resorts Hawaii, 1988-2004. Member, President Clinton's Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiation (ACTPN). Chairman, Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR) until 2007. Member, National Public Broadcasting Service Board (PBS) until 2005. Current Chairman: Convergency CT, Inc.; Cellular Bioengineering, Inc. Director: Daily Wellness Company; Accela, Inc. American Advisor, Japan-U.S. Science, Technology and Space Application Program (JUSTSAP). Honorary Advisor, Northeast Asia Economic Forum (NEAEF). Member: Hawaii State (Vice-President, 1968; President, 1969) and American (Member, House of Delegates, 1969) Bar Associations; Hawaii Bar Foundation (President, 1969). Languages: Japanese. Practice Areas: International Business Consultation.Email: George R. Ariyoshi

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

Lori Ann C. Lum born Honolulu, Hawaii, December 5, 1954; Education: University of Hawaii (B.S., 1976). Member: Hawaii Community Development Authority Board, 1997-2004; Child & Family Service Board of Directors; Girl Scouts of Hawaii Board of Directors. Practice Areas: Public Affairs.Email: Lori Ann C. Lum

OF COUNSEL

Jeffrey N. Watanabe (Of Counsel) born Wailuku, Hawaii, January 30, 1943; admitted to bar, 1968, Hawaii. Education: University of California at Berkeley (B.A., 1965); George Washington University (J.D., 1968). Deputy Attorney General, State of Hawaii, 1968-1970. Member: Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. [Honorable Discharge, U.S. Army]. Practice Areas: Strategic Counsel and Crisis Management; Transportation; Hotel and Resort Development; Communications.Email: Jeffrey N. Watanabe