Justin is a partner in the Finance and Real Estate Department at Cades Schutte.
Justin has a broad transactional practice including complex financing matters, real estate, and other corporate matters. He regularly represents lenders and borrowers in financing matters and sellers and purchasers in sales and purchase transactions. He has a particular focus in debt finance and has been lead counsel on over $2.5 billion in local to Hawai‘i debt financing transactions.
Justin is recognized as a Band 1 attorney in Corporate/Commercial: Finance by the Chambers & Partners USA Guide. He is also recognized as a Highly Regarded attorney by the IFLR1000 guide to financial and corporate law firms and lawyers and listed in both Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers®.
Born and raised in Kaneohe, Justin received his B.A. in finance from Loyola Marymount University. He also received his M.B.A., magna cum laude, from Loyola Marymount University. He earned his law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown Law.
Prior to joining Cades Schutte, Justin was an Associate for Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York. While at Kirkland, his practice consisted of a range of matters including sales transactions, debt finance, corporate governance, and capital markets.
Before law school, he spent over seven years working for The Boeing Company in various roles including proposal management, financial modeling and analysis, strategic development, and contracts management.
Experience
- Lead counsel for over $2 billion in local to Hawai‘i debt financing transactions
- Represented a local borrower in a $245 million syndicated refinancing for a Hawai‘i hotel project
- Represented a consortium of local banks in a $170 million A/B financing for a Hawai‘i condominium project
- Represented local banks in multiple acquisition financings including the acquisition of a FBO air service provider, a flood remediation company, and a food distribution company.
- Represented local banks in multiple ESOP financings
- Represented a local banks in multiple Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financings
- Represented a private equity client in a $285 million investment in a surf lifestyle brand
Awards
- Listed in Chambers and Partners, USA Guide, since 2023
- Listed by IFLR1000 as Highly Regarded in Real Estate, since 2022
- Listed in Best Lawyers®, since 2023, Ones to Watch (2021-2022)
- Listed in Super Lawyers® Rising Stars, 2021
Community Involvement
- 200 Club, Member
Education
- J.D., (2010), Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude
- M.B.A., (2005), Loyola Marymount University, magna cum laude
- B.A. Finance, (2003), Loyola Marymount University, cum laude
Admissions
- Hawai‘i State Bar (2015)
- New York State Bar (2011)
Membership
- Hawaii State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, Member
- “LIBOR Cessation Basics,” Cades Schutte Corporate Counsel seminar (October 2021) (Co-Presenter)
