CHONG - Key Persons

Sending an email to the law firm or to any of its attorneys does not create an attorney-client relationship. Chong, Nishimoto, Sia, Nakamura, and Goya, LLLP, will only establish an attorney-client relationship by express written agreement. We cannot represent an individual or a company without first confirming that doing so will not create a conflict of interest, and will not require us to practice law in a jurisdiction where we are not licensed to practice.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Member of the American Bar Association

Mr. Miyamoto joined the firm in December, 1995 and concentrates his practice in the areas of tort liability defense and insurance coverage matters. He became a partner with Ayabe, Chong, Nishimoto, Sia & Nakamura in January 2002. Education Mr. Miyamoto graduated in 1977 from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting. He attended the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1982. He was admitted to the Hawaii Bar in 1982. Experience Upon graduation, Mr. Miyamoto began a general practice of law with the Law Offices of Reuben S. F. Wong where he practiced primarily in personal injury and commercial litigation. In 1983, he joined the Law Offices of Richard T. Fukuda where he practiced in the areas of personal injury litigation, real estate, corporations, immigration, and family law. In 1986, he joined the Law Offices of Roy Y. Yempuku where his practice was focused in insurance defense and insurance coverage matters. Affiliations Mr. Miyamoto is a member of the American Bar Association and the Hawaii State Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Managing Partner in the Law Firm
• Member of the Hawaii State Bar Association

Jeffrey H. K. Sia is the managing partner in the law firm of Chong, Nishimoto, Sia, Nakamura & Goya, LLLP. He joined the law firm in July, 1982, when it was then-known as Libkuman, Ventura, Ayabe & Hughes. Mr. Sia became a partner with Ayabe, Chong, Nishimoto, Sia & Nakamura in July, 1987, and has been primarily involved in litigation work involving third-party and first-party insurance coverage claims; and personal injury; medical and other professional liability; product liability; sexual harassment; and construction cases. He serves as an arbitrator within the Court Annexed Arbitration Program for the Hawaii State Judiciary. He also provides mediation and arbitration services for other parties upon their request. Mr. Sia is currently a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association (and the Insurance Law Section of the Association), and the Defense Research Institute. He was a member and participant of the select Federal Court Judicial Conference sponsored by the U. S. District Court, District of Hawaii pursuant to two three-year terms (1995-1998 and 2005-2008), and was again appointed to serve as a member/participant of the Conference for another three-year term (2014-2017). He also served a three year term as one of the five Lawyer Representatives to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference for the District of Hawaii (2009-2011). In 2001, he served the Hawaii State Bar Association as its elected secretary, and in 2002, he served the Association as its elected treasurer. Elected President of the Association for 2008, he served the Association as President-Elect in 2007, and then as its President in 2008. In 2009, he continued to serve as a member of the HSBA Board of Directors in an ex officio status. He also served as Chair of the HSBA committee relating to the eventual establishment of the Hawaii State Bar Foundation, and then served as the new foundation's initial president. Thereafter, he served as a director on the HSBF board for a year and was re-elected to serve as its President for 2015. From 2009 to 2013, he served as a member of the Federal Judicial Selection Commission, an advisory commission established to assist Hawaii's U.S. Senators in the selection of candidates to serve as District Judge in the Federal District Court in Hawaii, and participated in that capacity to assist in the selection of candidates for two Article III judges for the District. In 2018, he was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court to serve on a Judicial Task Force on Civil Justice Improvements, which was established to develop recommendations on ways to streamline the litigation process and make the state trial courts more accessible, affordable, efficient and just.

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Associate at the Law Firm
• Member of the Hawaii State Bar Association

Jessica M. Germany is an associate at the law firm of Chong, Nishimoto, Sia, Nakamura & Goya. She joined the law firm in October of 2023 Ms. Germany attended California State University, Long Beach where she studied Criminal Justice and ran cross country and track and field. In 2018, she graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2023, Ms. Germany graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law at University of Hawaii, where she served as the President of the Law and Business Organization. Throughout law school, Ms. Germany worked as a Program Associate in the Pacific-Asian Legal Studies program. In addition, Ms. Germany was a summer legal extern at Hawaiian Electric (2021) and worked as a law clerk at Deeley King Pang and Van Etten (2021 - 2022). Ms. Germany also served as a domestic mediator at the Mediation Center of the Pacific (2021 - 2023). Ms. Germany is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in the State of Hawai`i and the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai`i.

Job Titles:

• Partner

Mr. Nishimoto joined the firm in 1981 and has concentrated his practice in the area of personal injury defense. He has been involved in asbestos litigation and served as lead counsel in Hawaii for the members of the Asbestos Claims Facility. More recently, he has been involved in the defense of legal malpractice and medical malpractice claims. He became a partner with Ayabe, Chong, Nishimoto, Sia & Nakamura in January 1986. Education Mr. Nishimoto received his undergraduate education at the University of San Francisco, where he majored in political science and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He attended Southwestern University School of Law and obtained a Juris Doctor degree in 1976. He was admitted to the Hawaii Bar in 1976. Experience From April 1977 to March 1981, Mr. Nishimoto was a Deputy Corporation Counsel with the Department of Corporation Counsel, City and County of Honolulu. As a Deputy Corporation Counsel, Mr. Nishimoto worked in the Counseling and Drafting Division where he primarily advised various City and County agencies. He subsequently transferred to the Trials Division and became involved in litigation involving the City, its agencies and employees. On March 16, 1981, Mr. Nishimoto left public sector law and became an associate with the firm. Since 1980, he has represented clients in over seventy cases which have been tried to verdict in either the State or Federal courts of Hawaii. In addition, he has handled arbitrations, administrative hearings and appellate matters before the Hawaii Courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Affiliations Mr. Nishimoto is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the International Association of Defense Counsel, an Associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is also affiliated with the Hawaii Defense Lawyers Association and the Defense Research Institute, Inc.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Member of the Hawaii State Bar Association

Mr. Goya joined the firm in 1983 and has concentrated his practice in the areas of civil and workers' compensation litigation, third-party subrogation, employment rights and labor arbitration. He has practiced before the District and Circuit Courts, Disability Compensation Division, Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board and the Supreme Court of Hawaii. He became a partner with Ayabe, Chong, Nishimoto, Sia & Nakamura in 1989. Education Mr. Goya graduated in 1978 from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in Political Science. He received his legal education at Willamette University College of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1981. He was admitted to the Hawaii Bar in 1981. Experience Upon graduation, Mr. Goya joined the Office of Public Defender where he worked in both the Honolulu and Hilo offices. As a deputy public defender he was involved in criminal defense, representing indigent persons in the family, district and circuit courts. In November 1982, he left the Public Defender's Office to become the law clerk for the Honorable Ernest Kubota, Third Judicial Circuit, State of Hawaii. Mr. Goya returned to Honolulu in August 1983 to join the law firm. Affiliations Mr. Goya is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association. He has served as an occasional speaker on various topics involving workers' compensation in Hawaii.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• ACNSN As an Associate

Ms. Fujii joined ACNSN as an associate in 1986 and became a partner in 1992. Her areas of practice include medical malpractice defense as well as other personal injury defense. Education In 1981, Ms. Fujii graduated cum laude from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, where she majored in advertising. She received a Juris Doctor degree in 1985 from the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii. She was admitted to the Hawaii Bar in October, 1985. Experience From September, 1985 to September, 1986, Ms. Fujii clerked for the Honorable Edward H. Nakamura, Senior Associate Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court. Shortly after completing her clerkship with the Court, she became an associate with ACNSN and a partner in 1992. Affiliations Ms. Fujii is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Partner

Mr. Inouye joined the firm in 2007 and concentrates his practice in the area of insurance defense litigation. He became a partner with Ayabe, Chong, Nishimoto, Sia & Nakamura in 2014. Education In 2003, Mr. Inouye received a Bachelors of Arts degree from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He pursued his legal education at Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington. He was an associate editor for the Gonzaga University Law Review and graduated magna cum laude in 2006. Mr. Inouye was admitted to the Hawaii State Bar in November 2006. Experience Mr. Inouye clerked for the Honorable Derrick H.M. Chan and was previously a judicial extern for United State Magistrate Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi. Affiliations Mr. Inouye is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Partner

Mr. Dyer has been a partner since 1999. His practice includes most areas of civil litigation, with emphasis on defending lawsuits alleging personal injury, sex abuse, premises liability, medical malpractice, and construction defects, with further focus on cases involving military members or entities, and Japanese nationals and corporations. Parties have agreed to Mr. Dyer as a paid arbitrator in over 30 cases. Education Mr. Dyer attended the University of Notre Dame, utilizing a four-year Army ROTC Scholarship, graduating with B.A. degrees in Japanese (summa cum laude) and Economics. He received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. While in law school, he was awarded a two-year Rotary Foundation Scholarship to Japan where he completed the highest level of Japanese study at International Christian University, and a year attending Tokyo's Chuo University Graduate Law Department, while interning at Yuasa & Hara law offices. He has received education, training and experience from the U.S. Army, to include criminal defense, anatomy, medicine, and international and military operations law. He attended the Army's Command and General Staff School and War College. Experience Mr. Dyer has practiced in litigation his entire career. He began in the U.S. Army, spending 27 months in Seoul (Yongsan), Korea where he defended soldiers in Courts Martial and administrative hearings, to include 24 jury trials. He spent his last 3 years on active duty at Tripler Army Medical Center defending medical malpractice claims and assisted the U.S. Attorney defend the U.S. in several federal bench trials. He continued his Army JAG career, serving 2 years in the Hawaii Army National Guard, then 17 years as a reservist at U.S. Pacific Command. In private practice in Hawai'i, he has continued with civil litigation defense, to include several trials. Mr. Dyer was instrumental in the immediate aftermath of the Ehime Maru/USS Greeneville tragedy as the representative of US Pacific Command: https://www.jicuf.org/alumni-stories-no-15-mr-stephen-dyer/. (Japanese translation). He was a panelist on a US-Japan Council webinar commemorating the 20th anniversary: Remembering the Ehime Maru. Mr. Dyer was featured on ThinkTech Hawaii's show Law Across the Sea on 2/17/20: Somewhere Over the Rising Sun. Affiliations Mr. Dyer is licensed to practice in Hawaii, Illinois (inactive), Federal Courts in Hawaii and Illinois, and all Military Courts. He is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and has served as an officer of its Young Lawyers Division. He has been a Rotarian since 1991, serving in many leadership positions, to include President of the Pearl Harbor Rotary Club, and as an Assistant District Governor, supervising five Rotary clubs. He serves on the boards of several non-profits, and is a Leader in the US-Japan Council.