The 2025 results for The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers Ones to Watch® in America were released today, and Cades Schutte LLP is celebrating another record-breaking year of achievements.
This year, 62 Cades Schutte attorneys were ranked in 51 practices for Hawai‘i, the highest ever ranked for the firm, including seven newly ranked attorneys*. In addition, previously ranked attorneys of the firm gained new recognitions in five different areas, and three partners were named “Lawyer of the Year”: David F. E. Banks (Corporate Law), C. Michael Heihre (Construction Law), and Trisha L. Nishimoto (Litigation – Insurance).
Congratulations to all who have been recognized.
2025 The Best Lawyers in America® for Hawai‘i
- Trisha H.S.T. Akagi – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Real Estate
- Trever K. Asam – Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law
- Lisa D. Ayabe – Banking and Finance Law, Leisure and Hospitality Law, and Real Estate Law
- David F. E. Banks – Corporate Law, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Securities Regulation
- Calvert G. Chipchase – Appellate Practice, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Government Contracts, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Dennis W. Chong Kee – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate
- John P. Duchemin – Litigation – Real Estate
- Roger W. Fonseca – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Vito Galati – Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law
- Christopher T. Goodin – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Rhonda L. Griswold – Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
- Christopher T. Harrison – Banking and Finance Law, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- C. Michael Heihre – Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Sachi E. Hiatt* – Real Estate Law
- Martin E. Hsia – Advertising Law, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trade Secrets Law, and Trademark Law
- Amanda M. Jones – Arbitration, Education Law, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Rick Kiefer – Banking and Finance Law, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Kelly G. LaPorte – Construction Law, Education Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Philip J. Leas – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law and Real Estate Law
- Michele S. Loudermilk – Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
- John R. Love – Banking and Finance Law, Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
- Chris S. Mashiba – Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law
- Cary S. Matsushige – Banking and Finance Law and Commercial Finance Law
- Lindsay N. McAneeley – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Water Law
- Patricia J. McHenry – Environmental Law
- Allison Mizuo Lee – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate
- Michi Momose* – Appellate Practice and Litigation – Real Estate
- Geoffrey T. Mukae – Corporate Law
- Mark K. Murakami – Environmental Law and Real Estate Law
- Craig I. Nakanishi – Corporate Law, Energy Law, and Energy Regulatory Law
- Kirk M. Neste* – Litigation – Construction
- Trisha L. Nishimoto – Litigation – Health Care, Litigation – Insurance, and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Nathan T. Okubo – Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Peter W. Olson – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, and Media Law
- Jeffrey M. Osterkamp – Construction Law
- Jeffrey S. Portnoy – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Insurance Law, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Insurance, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Paul M. Saito – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
- E. Gunner Schull – Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- David Schulmeister – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction
- Summer G. Shelverton – Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
- Kristin S. Shigemura – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- W. Keoni Shultz – Litigation – Real Estate and Real Estate Law
- Justin M. Sugiyama – Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
- Gail M. Tamashiro – Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
- Mauna Kea Trask – Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, and Real Estate Law
- Andrea K. Ushijima – Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
- Daniel C. Vermillion – Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
- Roy A. Vitousek III – Commercial Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
- Keola R. Whittaker* – Land Use and Zoning Law
- Lori K. Wilke – Real Estate Law
- Ryan M. Wilson – Tax Law
- Keith Y. Yamada – Arbitration, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, and Mediation
- Nathan C. Yang* – Real Estate Law
- Theodore D.C. Young – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
2025 Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch in America:
- Pōhai Nu’uhiwa Campbell – Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estates
- Jarrett A. Dempsey – Commercial Litigation and Health Care Law
- Gabriel F. Gorman – Banking and Finance Law
- Darene K. Matsuoka – Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law
- Caitlin M. Moon – Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
- Bryce M. Nakamura* – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate
- Michael R. Soon Fah* – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate
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About Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.
Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and located in the same geographic region. Our awards and recognitions are based purely on the feedback we receive from these top lawyers. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo a thorough verification process to make sure they are currently still in private practice. Only then can these top lawyers be recognized by Best Lawyers.
About Cades Schutte LLP
Cades Schutte is a full-service law firm with over 80 attorneys, providing superior service in over 40 practice and industry areas from our main office in Honolulu and offices in Kahului, Kona, Līhu‘e, and Waimea. Since the founding of our firm in 1922, Cades Schutte attorneys have been called on to serve as counsel in some of the most notable cases and transactions in the State of Hawai‘i.
Cades Schutte offers a wide range of corporate and personal legal services with an emphasis on business counseling. The firm is proud to serve local, national, and international clients, and regularly handles estate planning, tax, real estate, finance, and civil litigation matters.
Cades Schutte is organized into four departments—Finance, Real Estate, and Corporate; Litigation; Tax; and Trusts and Estates—but departmental lines are fluid. Cades Schutte attorneys from different departments routinely collaborate on projects to benefit the firm’s clients. This approach provides a full array of the firm’s expertise and experience.
The firm has adopted a democratic style of management in which the strategic direction and vision for the firm are developed by its partners, and headed up by its Management Committee.
Contact:
Erika Galarneau
Marketing & Business Development Manager
808.521.9257
communications@cades.com
