Rick is one of Hawai‘i’s top lawyers for sophisticated real estate transactions and developments. For 30 years he has represented large landowners, developers, and investors on properties and projects state-wide.
Rick is the resident partner in the firm’s Maui office. He focuses on resort, condominium, commercial, and subdivision developments state-wide. He regularly acts as lead counsel for some of the largest developments in the State and understands the complex, interdisciplinary work needed to make a project a success.
Rick also has extensive experience with sophisticated real estate transactions, including financings and the purchase and sale of hotels, golf courses, projects, homes, and land.
Most importantly, Rick is known for being practical and for his ability to get things done.
Experience
Recent Developments
- Principal attorney for the master developer of a large, master-planned resort community in West Maui
- Head of the team handling one of the largest master-planned light-industrial and commercial developments in Hawai‘i
- Lead development counsel for a 70-unit resort residential condominium in the Wailea Resort
Recent Transactions
- Represented Alexander & Baldwin in one of the largest land sales in state history, selling 41,000 acres of former HC&S sugar fields on Maui for $262 million to a pension fund-backed agribusiness
- Lead counsel on a 2019 sale of large, fully-entitled resort residential project on Maui
- Lead counsel on a $250 million acquisition of three Hawai‘i shopping centers
- Lead counsel on the disposition of a 7-property portfolio of mainland U.S. commercial and industrial properties
Awards
- Listed in Best Lawyers®, since 2006
- Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year, Real Estate Law, Honolulu, 2012
- Listed in Super Lawyers®, 2010-2012, 2021-2022
- Listed in Chambers & Partners, USA Guide, since 2007
- Chambers USA Client’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business®
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated, since 2008
Community Involvement
- Historic Hawaii Foundation, President (2023-2024), First Vice President (2022), Trustee (2019-Present)
Education
- J.D. (1991), University of California Davis School of Law
Articles Editor, U.C. Davis Law Review (1990-1991) - B.A. (1987), University of California Irvine
Admissions
- State of Hawai‘i and United States District Court for the District of Hawai‘i
- State of Washington
Membership
- Member, Hawaii State Bar Association (1991-Present)
- American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Fellow
- Real Property & Financial Services Section, Hawaii State Bar Association, Member (1995-Present) and Chair (2001)
- Maui County Bar Association, Member
- Co-Editor, Hawaii Real Estate Law Manual (3rd Edition) (Co-Editor)
- “Purchase Money Mortgages, Chapter 7,” Hawaii Conveyancing Manual (4th Edition, 1999, & 5th Edition, 2010) (Author)
