ASHFORD & WRISTON - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Real Estate, Financial Institutions, Business, Energy and Infrastructure

Adrienne Y. Shimonishi Elkind joined the firm as Counsel in July 2018. Ms. Elkind began practicing law in 1997, and brought to the firm her experience developed at small and large law firms in Honolulu. Ms. Elkind's legal experience extends across the areas of real estate, commercial leasing, development, construction, energy, business, banking and finance. Her practice in the real estate area covers a broad range of matters, with particular depth in assisting clients with acquisitions and dispositions, leasing and licensing transactions and real estate development. International, national and local companies and individuals look to her for guidance with the purchase and sale of properties, development and project financing, secured and unsecured lending transactions, subdivision matters, encroachment and easement issues and other legal matters. In addition, Ms. Elkind has been involved in the real estate, finance, construction and other dimensions of renewable energy development, including for large-scale solar and wind projects. She enjoys assisting clients with all aspects of a transaction and uses her diverse background and collaborative style to guide clients around impasses and achieve creative solutions and effective outcomes. Ms. Elkind has served on the Board of Directors and as President of the `Iolani Alumni Association and as the Alumni Representative on the Board of Governors for `Iolani School, and has volunteered for the `Iolani Community Action Network. She has also served as a volunteer for the Hawaii Access to Justice program.

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Member of the Hawai

Benjamin A. Kudo joined the firm as counsel in July 2012. Prior to joining Ashford & Wriston, Mr. Kudo was a founding principal of another law firm in Honolulu. Mr. Kudo specializes in land use, planning, zoning, natural resources, and real estate development, and has vast experience working with developers and land owners on a variety of issues. He has handled major resort, golf course, commercial, industrial, and residential developments throughout Hawaii, representing clients locally, from around the nation, and internationally from the Pacific-Asia region. Mr. Kudo's experience includes: Assisting developers and land owners with commercial real estate development projects Assisting clients with the permitting, zoning, and administrative process, including administrative contested cases and judicial appeals Assisting private, government agencies and legislative bodies with laws and bills affecting land use, natural resources (i.e., water rights, etc.) and administrative law Professional Affiliations: Mr. Kudo is a member of the Hawai`i State Bar Association. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, and is active in its sections on Real Property and Municipal and Local Governments. In addition, Mr. Kudo is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Planning Association, and Lamba Alpha International. Professional Activities: In addition to his law practice, Mr. Kudo was an Adjunct Professor of Law at The William S. Richardson School of Law teaching in the area of real property, land use and water law from 1990 to 2000. He was also a past lecturer in business law at the University of Hawaii West Oahu, and labor law at the Shidler School of Management. In 1994, Mr. Kudo was honored by the establishment of the Benjamin A. Kudo, Chair of Law (designated in the areas of land use, environmental and administrative law) at The William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii. Mr. Kudo has also published numerous articles, including: "NUKOLII: Private Development Rights and the Public Interest," The Urban Lawyer, Vol. 16, No. 2, 1984

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Associate With

Brennan M. Wong, an associate with Ashford & Wriston, was admitted to the Hawai'i Bar in 2018 and joined the firm in 2021. Brennan focuses his practice on general civil litigation, medical malpractice, real property and land use, and intellectual property law. Brennan is licensed to practice law before all courts in the State of Hawai'i, the United States District Court for the District of Hawai'i, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to joining Ashford & Wriston, Brennan served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Jeannette H. Castagnetti, the Honorable Bert I. Ayabe (ret.), and the Honorable Lisa W. Cataldo of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawai'i. Brennan earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, William S. Richardson School of Law in 2018 and was admitted to the Hawai'i State Bar Association that same year. In law school, Brennan served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Bert I. Ayabe, and was a member of the law school's Saul Lefkowitz Intellectual Property Moot Court team. Brennan also received a CALI Excellence for the Future Award for the highest grade in Patent Law. Brennan earned his Bachelor of Arts in Human Performance from the University of Southern California and is a graduate of Punahou School.

Job Titles:

• Business, Taxation

Job Titles:

• Senior Director of Government Affairs

C. Mike Kido joined the firm as a Senior Director of Government Affairs in December 2014. Following a long and distinguished career in the private sector, Mr. Kido successfully managed passage of the legislative package for the State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in the 2013 legislature and then joined Governor Abercrombie's senior staff and served as the Governor's Legislative Advisor for the remainder of his term. Mr. Kido concentrates his work in the area of government affairs. His work includes assisting firm clients in developing strategies applicable to their government matters, representing clients before government agencies, including the Hawaii State Legislature, the executive branch and the various county councils and agencies. Examples of his work include: Mr. Kido has been extremely active in community affairs throughout his career. His volunteer efforts include the Aloha United Way, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Founding Member of Kapolei Hawaiian Civic Club, Land Use Research Foundation, Honolulu Reapportionment Commission, and many others.

Job Titles:

• of Counsel
• Counsel and Formerly Partner
• Transactional Counsel for Hawaii Medical Service Association

Cuyler Shaw, Of Counsel and formerly Partner at Ashford & Wriston, has practiced with the firm since 1973. Mr. Shaw heads the firm's business section. He specializes in: Health care law Bankruptcy practice Business mergers and acquisitions Mr. Shaw serves as transactional counsel for Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii's Blue Cross/Blue Shield health plan. Other clients include the City Square and Waimalu Plaza Shopping Centers (Oahu) , the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ( commercial leasing) , Bank of Hawaii ( special assets) , The Takitani Foundation, Barnwell Industries, Inc., KD Kaupulehu, LLLP (Big Island) and Maui Divers of Hawaii, Ltd. Mr. Shaw's clients also include hotel and real estate projects on Guam and Saipan. Professional Activities: Mr. Shaw is an advisory director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association.

Job Titles:

• Counsel

Ellen A. Swick joined the firm as Counsel in April 2022. Ms. Swick focuses her practice in the areas of commercial litigation and bankruptcy, representing lenders, secured creditors, creditor committees, and debtors in a variety of industries. She has experience in defending the creditors' rights of financial institutions and community associations, as well as experience in large bankruptcy cases, including chapter 11 reorganizations, and judicial foreclosure proceedings. Prior to moving to Hawai'i, Ms. Swick practiced civil litigation and real estate law with an emphasis on zoning and land use in Maryland.

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Executive Director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission
• Government Affairs

Gary M. Slovin joined the firm as counsel in August 2012. Prior to joining Ashford & Wriston, Mr. Slovin was a partner and former managing partner with one of Hawaii's largest law firms. He is currently admitted to practice law in Hawaii and Pennsylvania. Mr. Slovin concentrates his practice in the area of government affairs. His work includes representing clients before government agencies, negotiating agreements with regard to contested matters, and representing clients before the Hawaii State Legislature, the Honolulu City Council, and state and county agencies. Examples of his work include: Land Use Matters: Successfully coordinated development efforts for a large retail chain located on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui and Kauai; represented a developer in Hawaii in a contested case before the Honolulu Zoning Board of Appeals that resulted in a store being allowed to operate in the Bougainville Industrial district; represented a leeward side landowner in major litigation before the Hawaii State Commission on Water Resource Management regarding allocation of water that has historically flowed through the Waiahole Ditch System Lobbying: Has successfully represented numerous business interests before the Hawaii State Legislature. Examples include passage of a licensing statute for the Hawaii Dietetic Association, general excise tax reform on behalf of the Direct Sellers Association, a workplace exemption on behalf of Covanta Energy Corporation, an excise tax exemption on behalf of McDonald's Corporation and franchise legislation on behalf of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers Governmental Relations: Established legislative, governmental and public relations strategy for the operators of the H-Power Facility, the waste-to-energy facility in Honolulu that disposes of nearly all of Oahu's solid waste and converts it to electrical energy Mr. Slovin has served as Executive Director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and was Corporation Counsel for the City and County of Honolulu under former mayor Eileen Anderson. Mr. Slovin has also served as a member of the Honolulu Charter Commission. Mr. Slovin has received numerous professional honors and recognitions including recognition as one of the "Best Lawyers in Hawaii" by Honolulu Magazine in the area of government relations. He has also been listed in Hawaii Super Lawyers and has been recognized by Chambers USA for his work in government relations and land use issues. Mr. Slovin has also received the Martindale-Hubbell AV rating. In 2011, Mr. Slovin was honored by the Hawaii State Bar Association with the Ki‘e Ki‘e award for his pro bono work.

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Trustee of the Kalama Community Trust

Hugh R. Jones joined the firm as Counsel in September 2020. Mr. Jones has practiced law in Hawaii for 32 years, both in private practice, government service, and inside the nonprofit sector. Mr. Jones' practice concentrates on the federal and state regulation of public charities and private foundations and their governance, the regulation of charitable solicitation and charitable registration matters, trust administration, Hawaii State taxation, and government affairs. As a Senior Deputy Attorney General, Mr. Jones supervised the Hawaii Attorney General's Tax & Charities Division for over a decade, and created and launched a successful charitable enforcement unit in the wake of the Bishop Estate controversy of the 1990s, including necessary enabling legislation and online registration and reporting systems. While at the Attorney General's office, Mr. Jones was also involved in many high profile Hawaii cases including the taxation of Online Travel Companies, the Bishop Estate Civil Litigation Team, "Operation False Charity," public access to police misconduct, and other controversial matters. Immediately prior to joining Ashford & Wriston, Mr. Jones was the first In-House Counsel for the University of Hawaii Foundation and its Board of Trustees. Mr. Jones is a visiting professor of law at the William S. Richardson School of Law, teaching the Law of Nonprofit Organizations course for several years. Awards: Mr. Jones has received several awards, including: Manager of the Year, Hawaii Attorney General Senor Staff Attorney Award (National Association of Attorneys General) Nonprofit Sector Champion Award, Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO) Presidents Award, Lifetime of Service to the Bar, Hawaii State Bar Association (HSBA) Mr. Jones has served as a trustee of the Kalama Community Trust (Kailua) and as a director of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hawaii Chapter. Mr. Jones is also the past president of the Government Lawyers Section of the HSBA, and has been a speaker or faculty member at numerous national symposiums relating to the law of charitable organizations, including NASCO, the Columbia Law School's Charities Law Project, the Hawaii Tax Institute, HANO, Chaminade University's Nonprofit Organizations Conference and professional development programs.

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Associate With

Jae B. Park, an associate with Ashford & Wriston, was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 2004 and joined the firm in 2016. Professional Activities: Jae graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and the Weatherhead School of Management with a joint JD/MBA in 2004. Jae was the publisher of the Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine. Before joining Ashford & Wriston, Jae practiced at the law firm of Bronster Fujichaku Robbins where he focused his practice in complex litigation matters involving business disputes and trusts and estates.

James K. Mee was a partner at Ashford & Wriston. He initially joined the firm as an associate in 1982. Over the years he curated a practice that included real estate transactions, property rights litigation, land use, estates and trusts, Hawaiian rights, and appeals. He was a skilled and conscientious advocate and a trusted partner and colleague. Mr. Mee passed away on September 18, 2021. He is greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at Ashford + Wriston. Professional Activities: Mr. Mee was designated as a LEED Accredited Professional by the United States Green Building Council. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. He was among the first attorneys in Hawaii to receive this recognition. Mr. Mee was, for many years, an associate member of both the Honolulu Board of Realtors® and the Hawaii Association of Realtors® Professional Recognition: Mr. Mee was the recipient of the Hawaii State Bar Association's 2004 Ki`e Ki`e Award for Pro Bono Service. This award is given to the individual who, in the opinion of the Bar Association, has contributed the most generously of his or her time in the cause of justice and advancement of our society. Mr. Mee was listed in Best Lawyers of America® in the areas of Real Estate, Eminent Domain and Condemnation, as well as being listed in Hawaii Super Lawyers in the area of Eminent Domain. Mr. Mee also received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Mee was twice named as Member of the Year of the Hawaii chapter of NAIOP, in 1998 and 2009. NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, is the leading national organization for developers, owners and related professionals in office, industrial and mixed-use real estate. Mr. Mee was a founder and secretary of the Hawaii Small Landowners Association. Mr. Mee was a member of the Oahu Advisory Council of the American Lung Association of Hawaii. He was also on the board of directors of the Hawaii chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), and was the chair of its Legislative Affairs Committee. Mr. Mee was an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu and previously served as a trustee of the Hawaiian Historical Society.

Job Titles:

• Hawai'I Supreme Court Chief

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Member of the Hawaii State

Kevin W. Herring, a partner at Ashford & Wriston, began practicing law in 1996 and joined the firm in 2000. Mr. Herring grew up in Hilo, Hawaii. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, financial institutions, escrow contracts, title insurance, insurance defense, and technology law. Mr. Herring has been involved in the representation of a variety of insurance companies, landowners, businesses, and credit unions. His experience includes: Won a jury verdict in excess of $800,000 in a case involving the forgery of an insurance application Obtained an arbitration award in excess of $9 million in a construction defect case Secured federal trademark registration for a publicly traded financial institution Obtained a judgment in excess of $1 million against a commercial tenant that breached a shopping center lease Prepared license agreements for the use of trademarks, software and other intellectual property Won summary judgment in federal court for an escrow company in a case involving alleged TILA violations Mr. Herring currently serves as the firm's managing partner. Professional Activities: Mr. Herring is a member of the Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI) and a graduate of the American Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Section's 2003 National Trial Academy. Mr. Herring was the second attorney in Hawaii to be designated as a LEED Accredited Professional by the United States Green Building Council. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. As a LEED Accredited Professional, Mr. Herring is familiar with the LEED certification process and the contractual and risk issues involving green building development and leasing.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Family Law
• Member of the Hawaii State Bar Association

Lynne Jenkins McGivern, a partner with Ashford & Wriston, has practiced law since 1990. Prior to joining the firm she was a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for 10 years. Ms. McGivern focuses on contested divorce and custody disputes. Her experience includes: Representing victims of domestic violence Representing parties in custody disputes Ten years as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii, specializing in prosecuting domestic violence felonies, including homicides, child deaths, and sexual abuse cases. Ms. McGivern was head of the felony Domestic Violence Unit for five years. Professional Activities: Ms. McGivern is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association. Community Activities: Past president of the board of directors of the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline Past president of Hawaii Women Lawyers Member of the board of directors of Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation

Job Titles:

• of Counsel

Manuel ("Mike") Garcia, tax counsel to Ashford & Wriston, began practicing law in 1982. Mr. Garcia focuses his practice on tax law (domestic and international), business law and real estate law. His experience includes: Correcting FBAR filing violations (with or without the IRS offshore amnesty program) International Estate Tax Planning Pre-immigration tax planning for foreign individuals Tax free conversion of foreign corporation into Hawaii corporation Creating solutions to difficult FIRPTA related problems Personally structuring and implementing over 1,500 IRC §1031 exchanges Forming and advising §501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations Negotiating LLC, LLP and partnership agreements (with special emphasis on allocation of income and losses and distribution of cash provisions) for clients Negotiating with IRS and Hawaii Tax Department on a whole range of matters from proposed tax assessments to tax collection matters involving everything from "offers in compromise" to property discharge from tax liens in short sales Tax audits, tax appeals, and tax court Matter of Trust Estate of Daoang, 87 Hawaii 200, 953 P.2d 959 (Hawaii App. 1998) where Mr. Garcia successfully argued that decedent's letter to attorney constituted a valid 2nd amendment to decedent's revocable trust Professional Activities: Mr. Garcia has lectured extensively on tax related matters. His two favorite topics over the years involve IRC §1031 exchanges and foreign investments and he has published many newspaper articles on these two subjects. He has also published articles in professional journals, including "1031 Exchanges: The Need For Consumer Protection", HSBA Journal, July 2006, and "Application of Sections 1031 and 1445 to Exchanges of U. S. Real Property by Foreign Persons", 48 The Tax Lawyer, 471 (Spring, 1995), and more recently authored "Foreclosing Mortgagee Can't Ignore HARPTA & FIRPTA Withholding Requirements", Hawaii Bar Journal (October 2014); "IRS Offshore Amnesty Program v. Reasonable Cause Defense", Hawaii Bar Journal (February 2014); The FIRPTA Withholding Guidebook, ABA Publishing, 2013; and "Chapter 4F, Exchange Related Conveyance Documents" in Hawaii Conveyance Manual, 5th Edition (2010). Languages: Tagalog (the official language of the Philippines also known as Pilipino - not fluent) and Spanish Manuel ("Mike") Garcia, tax counsel to Ashford & Wriston, began practicing law in 1982. Mr. Garcia focuses his practice on tax law (domestic and international), business law and real estate law. Correcting FBAR filing violations (with or without the IRS offshore amnesty program)

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Government Affairs

Matt concentrates his practice in the area of government affairs. His work includes representing clients before the Hawaii State Capitol, the Honolulu City Council and state and county government agencies.

Job Titles:

• of Counsel
• Counsel and Formerly Partner
• Director of Hawaii Pacific Health
• Litigation

Michael W. Gibson, Of Counsel and formerly Partner at Ashford & Wriston, began practicing law in 1974 and joined the firm in 1976. Mr. Gibson focuses his practice on land title and boundary disputes, administrative agency contested cases and Hawaiian rights claims. His experience includes: Representing The Estate of James Campbell in the contested case hearing before the State Water Commission concerning the Waiahole Ditch Representing numerous landowners in quiet title litigation involving multi-million dollar parcels Participation in proceedings to clarify the scope of native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices Professional Activities: Mr. Gibson served as the President of the Hawai`i State Bar Association in 2002. He has served as director and as president of the Legal Aid Society of Hawai`i and Hawai`i Lawyers Care (a pro bono delivery program). He is a member of the West Hawai`i Bar Association. Mr. Gibson is a former director of the Hawai`i Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Section. Professional Recognition: Mr. Gibson serves as a director of Hawaii Pacific Health, and as a Trustee of the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust. He has served as a director of the Hawaii Justice Foundation since 2005.

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Director With the Hawaii Procurement Institute
• Governmental Affairs
• Member of the American Bar Association

Mihoko Ito joined the firm as counsel in August 2012. Ms. Ito concentrates her practice in the area of government relations and administrative law. Ms. Ito's experience includes: Representing clients before the Hawaii State Legislature and the Honolulu City Council Advising clients regarding strategies regarding legislation, governmental issues, and public and community relations Providing testimony and monitoring legislation affecting clients Representing clients before government agencies, commissions, departments and boards on issues including licensing, regulatory matters, contested case hearings, procurement protests, zoning and land use, planning and permitting, and litigation arising under government contracts Ms. Ito's clients include the American Beverage Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, American Insurance Association, Consumer Data Industry Association, Consumer Electronics Association, Covanta Energy Group, EAN Holdings LLC, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of Realtors, McDonalds, USAA, Walgreen Company, Wine Institute, Wyndham Worldwide, and others. Professional Affiliations: Ms. Ito is a member of the American Bar Association, the Hawaii State Bar Association, the California State Bar Association, and the Hawaii Women's Lawyers Association. Professional Activities: Ms. Ito serves as a director with the Hawaii Procurement Institute and the Hawaii Women Lawyers. She is also involved with the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, serving on its Initiatives Committee and Education and Conference Planning Committee. In addition, Ms. Ito is an active volunteer attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii and Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii. She also serves as an arbitrator in the State's Court Annexed Arbitration Program. While in law school, Ms. Ito externed in federal court for U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi. Professional Recognitions: Ms. Ito has been the recipient of numerous professional recognitions. In 2008, she was a recipient of the Pacific Business News Forty under 40 award. In 2011, Ms. Ito received the Stars of Hope award from the Hata Foundation and the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. She also received in 2011 the Hawaii Justice Foundation Spirit of Pro Bono Award, as well as the Hawaii State Bar Association's Ki'e ki'e award, for her pro bono work with the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission and the Hawaii Consortium of Legal Service Providers to obtain much needed additional funding for indigent legal services in Hawaii. Community Activities:

Job Titles:

• Head
• Partner
• Family Law
• Member of the Hawaii State Bar Association

Paul A. Tomar, partner at Ashford & Wriston and head of the firm's Family Law department, began practicing law in 1974 and joined the firm in 1999. Mr. Tomar focuses his practice on contested divorce and custody proceedings. His career of 30 years in family law includes the following: More than 275 major divorce trials, including 70 custody trials Prevailing counsel in several appeals, including the landmark cases of Gussin v. Gussin, 73 Haw. 470, 836 P 2nd 484 (1992) and Epp v. Epp, 80 Haw. 79, 905 P 2nd 54 (1995) Professional Activities: Mr. Tomar is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and was chair of the HSBA Family Law Section in 2000. He is a member of the American Bar Association's Family Law and Litigation sections. He has served as a lecturer in family law for several years with the Kapiolani Community College Legal Assistant Program. Mr. Tomar has authored numerous articles which have appeared in the Hawaii Institute for Continuing Legal Education and other continuing education journals. He is the coauthor of the Hawaii Divorce Manual, 5th edition, 1996. Mr. Tomar is a featured guest speaker at various workshops and seminars focusing on divorce and custody. Community Activities: Mr. Tomar currently serves as the chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the Kapiolani Community College Legal Assistant Program.

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Government Affairs

Mr. Tsujimura practices in the area of governmental relations and provides strategic business advice to companies seeking to enter and improve their business operations in Hawaii. He has worked in government as a deputy attorney general, in business as assistant general counsel for AMFAC, Inc., and as president of AMFAC Property Development Corp. responsible for the Waikele development and master planning of AMFAC's Kaanapali development. He was a principal in Mills Dowling Tsujimura, a residential development company active in all four countries. He currently represents State Farm Insurance Cos., T-Mobile, Reed Elsevier, General Motors, D.R. Horton, and the Mortgage Bankers Association of Hawaii, and along with colleagues in the office, the American Beverage Association, Microsoft Corporation, Corrections Corporation of America, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Exeter Corp., Direct TV, Dish Network, Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, and NextEra Energy, Inc. Mr. Tsujimura also provides strategic business advice to companies doing business in Hawaii, including Hawaii Island Air. Former clients include Gannet Corporation, AES Hawaii, Hertz, Marriott Vacation Clubs, National Electronic Manufacturers Association, and W.W. Grainger. Professional Activities: Mr. Tsujimura is a member of the American and Hawaii State Bar Associations. He is the former chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City and County of Honolulu, and the former vice-chair of the Hawaii Community Development Authority. Mr. Tsujimura is also the former president and board member of the Land Use Research Foundation. Community Activities: Active in the community, Mr. Tsujimura is currently the chair of the Board of Governors of the East West Center, which for over 50 years has served as a U.S. based institution for public diplomacy in the Asia Pacific region. He serves as the chair of the U.S. Board of Global Hope Network International and on the advisory board and leadership of the Geneva Institute for Leadership and Public Policy, both based in Geneva, Switzerland. He also serves on the board, subsidiaries, and committees of the Queen's Health Systems, Hawaii's oldest and pre-eminent family of healthcare-related companies. He recently was appointed to the City Charter Commission, City & County of Honolulu. Rick Tsujimura joined the firm as counsel in July 2012. He was admitted to practice law in the State of Hawaii and before the United States District Court, District of Hawaii in 1975. Mr. Tsujimura practices in the area of governmental relations and provides strategic business advice to companies seeking to enter and improve their business operations in Hawaii. He has worked in government as a deputy attorney general, in business as assistant general counsel for AMFAC, Inc., and as president of AMFAC Property Development Corp. responsible for the Waikele development and master planning of AMFAC's Kaanapali development. He was a principal in Mills Dowling Tsujimura, a residential development company active in all four countries.

Job Titles:

• Counsel

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers
• Hawaii Member of the Diocesan Attorneys Association of the United States Catholic Conference

Robert Bruce Graham, Jr., a partner at Ashford & Wriston, began practicing law in 1973 and joined the firm in 1989. He is a member of the firm's management and compensation committee. Mr. Graham's practice focuses on real estate transactions, including commercial leasing and land title issues; trust administration; and nonprofit organizations. His experience includes: Counsel to the Roman Catholic Church In The State Of Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii Representation of the Kamehameha Schools concerning trust law issues, property title and Hawaiian land rights Representation of title companies and numerous Hawaii landowners in matters concerning the determination of title, boundaries and appurtenant rights, and Land Court (Torrens Registry) matters Court-appointed master to review the accounts and administration of numerous private and charitable trusts, including the Kapiolani Park Trust Professional Activities: Mr. Graham is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL). He is the author of "Land Court Petitions" and "Legal Description and Title Search" (Hawaii Conveyance Manual, 5th ed., 2010); "Traditional Hawaiian Land Law" (Hawaii Real Estate Law Manual, 2008); "Legal Description and Title Search" (Hawaii Conveyance Manual IV, 2001 and Hawaii Conveyance Manual II, 1992); "Traditional Hawaiian Land Law" (Hawaii Real Estate Law Manual, 1997); "Title Matters" (Hawaii Commercial Real Estate Manual, 1988); and Co-Author, Boundary Law In Hawaii (1990). He has been an Adjunct Professor of Real Property Law at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii since 2001. A frequent speaker concerning Hawaiian land law and related matters, he has spoken at seminars sponsored by the Hawaii Bar Association, Hawaii Association of Land Surveyors, Hawaii Association of Realtors, Hawaii Developers' Council, Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), NAIOP, Counselors in Real Estate (CRE) and others. Mr. Graham previously served as a director of the Real Property and Financial Services Section of the Hawaii State Bar and as a Hawaii Bar examiner. Professional Recognition: Mr. Graham is identified as one of the best real estate lawyers in Hawaii in The Best Lawyers in America, 1995 to present editions; as one of the leading Hawaii real property lawyers in America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Chambers USA), 2003 to present; and by Super Lawyers magazine, 2010 to present in the fields of real estate, estate & trust litigation, and nonprofit law. He was inducted as a member of Lambda Alpha International Honorary Land Economics Society (Hawaii Chapter) in 1998 and is an honorary member of the Hawaii Land Surveyors Association. Mr. Graham has received the Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rating. Community Activities: Mr. Graham is the Hawaii member of the Diocesan Attorneys Association of the United States Catholic Conference. He previously served as an officer and director of Damien Memorial School, and as a member of the Finance Council and the Development Committee of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. He served as director of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. For more than 18 years, he was president of the Association of Apartment Owners of Harbor Square, a 370-unit mixed use residential and commercial condominium in downtown Honolulu, and coordinated its rent renegotiations and eventual conversion to fee simple ownership.

Job Titles:

• Counsel

Robert joined the firm in August 2022. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Hawaii and in the District of Columbia. Robert focuses his practice on general civil litigation, navigation of nonprofit and charitable organizations, real property and land use, estate planning and environmental and natural resources law. He also specializes in: Lease rent negotiation and arbitration Commercial lease and landlord/tenant matters Maritime law Prior to joining Ashford & Wriston, Robert clerked for the Honorable R. Mark Browning, Chief Judge of the First Circuit Court of the State of Hawai‘i. Robert also worked as an environmental legal fellow at the Department of Land and Natural Resources and as an associate at a large firm in Honolulu. Robert earned his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 2018. During law school, Robert served as a staff editor to the Intellectual Property and Technology Journal Forum and was a semi-finalist of the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. Robert served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Helen Gillmor of the United States District Court, District of Hawai´i and as a research assistant to Professor Alexis Anderson at Boston College Law School. During the spring of 2018, he was a lecturer of law at Boston College, where he co-taught an undergraduate course on environmental law and policy. Community Activities: Robert is a high school football official for the HHSAA and is a Makiki Neighborhood Board Member. He is also a member of the NAIOP Hawaii Commercial Real Estate Developers Association and the Appraisal Institute - Hawaii Chapter.

Job Titles:

• of Counsel
• Counsel and Formerly Partner
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Historic Hawaii Foundation

Rosemary T. Fazio, Of Counsel and formerly Partner at Ashford & Wriston, has practiced with the firm since 1978. Ms. Fazio focuses her practice on real property and complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters. Representing landowners' interests in multi-million dollar real property valuation matters, including condemnation, rent renegotiation, lease-to-fee conversion, partition, and real estate tax appeals for resort, commercial, industrial and residential properties Representing the dissenting minority shareholder of one of Hawaii's largest corporations Rosemary T. Fazio, Of Counsel and formerly Partner at Ashford & Wriston, has practiced with the firm since 1978. Ms. Fazio focuses her practice on real property and complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters. Her experience includes: Representing landowners' interests in multi-million dollar real property valuation matters, including condemnation, rent renegotiation, lease-to-fee conversion, partition, and real estate tax appeals for resort, commercial, industrial and residential properties Representing the dissenting minority shareholder of one of Hawaii's largest corporations Representing Hawaii's largest landowner in a case of first impression involving recovery of delay damages in condemnation actions Ms. Fazio has extensive management experience. She has served on the firm's management committee and led the firm's attorney performance committee. Professional Activities: Ms. Fazio has lectured regarding real estate matters, alternative dispute resolution and legal ethics at various professional seminars. She chaired the State Judicial Selection Commission, on which she served from 2003-2009. She also served from 2009-20011 as secretary on the Hawaii Federal Judicial Selection Commission. The American Judicature Society appointed her to serve as a member of the national advisory committee for the Hunter Center for Judicial Selection. She previously served as treasurer and director of the Hawaii State Bar Association, and the Young Lawyers Division of the Hawaii State Bar Association. She currently serves on the Board of the HSBA's Senior Counsel Division. She was appointed by the Hawaii Supreme Court to serve on the Attorney Disciplinary Board. During her 9 year tenure on that Board she served as Vice-Chair and Chair of the Opinions Committee. Prior to becoming a member of the Disciplinary Board, she presided as a hearings officer in attorney disciplinary matters for 10 years. She continues to serve in that capacity. She serves as a hearings officer on medical claim and design claim conciliation panels. She was a member of the Special Committee on Judicial Careers and Selectivity of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Judicature Society. She was appointed by the Hawaii Supreme Court to serve on the Hawaii Judicial Performance Committee (2011--). Ms. Fazio is a director both of the Alumni Association of the University of Hawai`i School of Law and the Friends of the Law School. The U.S. District Court (Hawaii) appointed her to serve as a member of the Court's Judicial Retention Panel (2000) and as a member of the Judicial Conference. Professional Recognition: In 2023, Ms. Fazio received the Ki'e Ki'e Award from the Hawaii State Bar Association in recognition of her outstanding provision of legal services at no charge to a large segment of the community. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Ms. Fazio also received the U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award in connection with her pro bono work with the United States Marine Corps. She has also received numerous other professional honors, most notably her appointment as the Lawyer Representative of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, and her induction into the Hawaii Chapter of Lambda Alpha International (honorary land economics society), for which she served as president. Ms. Fazio is listed in Best's Directories of Insurance Professionals and Hawaii Super Lawyers, and has also been named as one of the best real estate litigation, real estate, arbitration, and eminent domain/condemnation lawyers in Hawaii in The Best Lawyers in America, 1995 to present editions, and as one of the leading Hawaii real property lawyers in America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Chambers USA). Ms. Fazio has received the Martindale-Hubbell® "AV Preeminent™" rating. She received the "Lawyer of the Year" distinction in 2012 in the area of Eminent Domain and Condemnation. Additionally, she received the "Kukulu Hale" Award from the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks for the Hawaii Lease Transaction of the Year 2000. Community Activities: Ms. Fazio is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Historic Hawaii Foundation. Until 2019 she was a member of the Board of Directors of Hawaii Public Radio, for which she previously served as Chairperson for 3 years and for which she served as Chairperson of the general manager search committee. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Waikiki Improvement Association. Additionally, she serves as the volunteer lawyer one day/week at the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii. In the past, she has served as a director for the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Child & Family Services, the YWCA (East Oahu), The Outdoor Circle, and Health & Community Services Council. She is a former member of the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise (1990 -1997).

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Member of the Hawai'I State Bar Association

Ryan M. Toyomura was admitted to the Hawai‘i State Bar in 2020 and joined Ashford & Wriston in 2022. Mr. Toyomura concentrates his practice in the areas of litigation, appeals, real property, land use, and government affairs. He is licensed to practice law before all courts in the State of Hawai'i and the United States District Court for the District of Hawai'i and is a registered lobbyist with the State of Hawai'i. Mr. Toyomura has been selected to The Best Lawyers of America "Ones to watch 2024" list for Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation - Real Estate. He is a 2023 Hawai'i State Bar Association Leadership Institute Fellow. Mr. Toyomura is a member of the Hawai'i State Bar Association, the American Judicature Society, and the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce where he serves as a member of its government affairs committee. He also volunteered extensively with the Institute for Human Services, Moanalua Lions Club, and Hawai'i Visitor Industry Charity Walk.

Job Titles:

• Commissioner on the State of Hawaii

Ms. Motosue has been recognized by The Best Lawyers of America® for her work in Corporate Law (2023) and Real Estate Law (2019-present). In 2008, Ms. Motosue was named "Best Lawyers Under 40" by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). She has also been recognized as one of the "20 For the Next 20" by Hawaii Business magazine. Ms. Motosue is a Commissioner on the State of Hawaii's Commission on the Status of Women and served as Chair of the Board of the Real Estate Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association (largest section of the HSBA). She also serves on the Board of Directors of Hawaii Heritage Center, a non-profit organization located in Honolulu's Chinatown that is dedicated to the preservation of Hawaii's multi-cultural and immigrant history.

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Government Affairs

Tiffany N. Yajima was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 2007 and joined the firm as an associate in 2013. Ms. Yajima concentrates her practice in the area of government affairs. Her work includes representing clients before government agencies and before the Hawaii State Legislature and the Honolulu City Council. Her experience includes providing testimony and monitoring legislation affecting clients. She also advises clients on a range of governmental issues and public and community relations. Ms. Yajima's clients include the American Beverage Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Consumer Data Industry Association, Consumer Technology Association, Covanta Energy Group, EAN Holdings LLC., Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Association of Realtors, McDonalds, USAA, Walgreen Company, Wine Institute, Wyndham Worldwide, and others. Professional Affiliations: Ms. Yajima is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Member of the Hawaii State Bar Association
• Partner at Ashford & Wriston. He Began Practicing With the Firm in 1971 Following His Graduation from UC Berkeley 's Boalt Hall School of Law.

Wayne P. Nasser, was a partner at Ashford & Wriston. He began practicing with the firm in 1971 following his graduation from UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law. Wayne was a mentor to many attorneys, a formidable opponent in the courtroom, and a trusted partner. He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaii real property case law and loved the challenge of tackling complex title issues, particularly those involving Land Court property. Wayne passed away on April 21, 2023. He is greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at Ashford + Wriston. Professional Activities: Wayne's practice focused on litigation involving land titles, easements, escrow contracts, title insurance, beach accretion, landlord-tenant disputes, and eminent domain. Among his many successes he represented: ° a landowner against the United States in an inverse condemnation claim regarding airport noise and accident zones; ° a landowner in quieting title to several thousand acres which included a claim by the State of Hawaii to a large tract with no paper title; and ° represented the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands against challenges to title and the right to use the Pacific Missile Test Range at Kwajalein Atoll As a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association, Wayne served on its attorney-client relations committee for many years. He was also a member of the American Bar Association (TIPS section and Title Insurance Committee). Wayne was a frequent and entertaining speaker at seminars on easements, title insurance and inverse condemnation. In the later years of his career, he was often retained as an expert witness or litigation consultant on easements, Land Court practice, and land titles. He was a member of the Permanent Committee on Land Court Matters. Wayne was recognized by Best Lawyers® as Hawaii's 2014 "Lawyer of the Year" in the field of Real Estate Litigation and the 2016 Lawyer of the Year in Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. Community Activities: Wayne was a certified Track & Field official and officiated numerous ILH and State championship meets. He was known for using his sense of humor to put participants at ease before competitions.

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Member of the Hawai

Wesley M. Fujimoto joined the firm as counsel in July 2012. Prior to joining Ashford & Wriston, Mr. Fujimoto was a founding principal of another law firm in Honolulu. Mr. Fujimoto specializes in labor and employment law. He represents local and mainland employers before courts and agencies, both federal and state, in all areas of workplace related legal matters. These include employment discrimination and harassment, whistleblowing, retaliation, union organizing, labor arbitration and collective bargaining, workers' compensation, workplace related state and federal court litigation, occupational safety and health, wage and hour and unemployment insurance. Mr. Fujimoto's practice consists of litigation defense, counseling and compliance advice and supervisor and management training. He has lectured and written extensively on current workplace legal issues and prevention methods on topics ranging from workplace accommodation, wage and hour and employment discrimination. Professional Activities: Mr. Fujimoto is a member of the Hawai`i State Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar Association. Prior to entering private practice, he was an Attorney-Advisor with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Administrative Law Judges, in the Washington, D.C. and San Francisco offices. Professional Recognition: Mr. Fujimoto has been listed in Best Lawyers and Hawaii Super Lawyers, and was recognized by Chambers USA as one of the leading Employment and Labor attorneys in Hawaii for "his litigation skills and for his sensible advice and understated manner."

Job Titles:

• Counsel

Job Titles:

• Counsel
• Litigation

Mr. Bordner received his B.S. with distinction in 1970 and his J.D. magna cum laude in 1973 from Indiana University where he was Order of the Coif. After serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Martin Pence, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, from 1973-1974, Mr. Bordner joined Hamilton, Gibson, Nickleson, Rush and Moore as an associate from 1974-1980. In 1980, Mr. Bordner was one of the founders of the Burke McPheeters Bordner & Gilardy, AAL., ALC. The firm went through a number of name changes and for 30 years practiced at offices located at Grosvenor Center, 737 Bishop Street, 31 st Floor, followed by 10 years as Burke McPheeters Bordner & Estes, AAL, ALC, with offices located at 119 Merchant Street, Suite 200. With the closing of Burke McPheeters Bordner & Estes after 40 years, Mr. Bordner joined Ashford + Wriston as Counsel representing defendants in professional liability litigation.