Chris brings a combination of local and international experience to bear on effectively representing clients in complex real estate transactions. He is the Chair of the Hospitality and Resort Property Practice Group.
Chris regularly represents clients ranging from large institutions to individuals in purchase and sale transactions, title and entitlement due diligence, real estate development and construction documentation, financing, and commercial leasing.
He previously practiced in the Tokyo office of a large international law firm, where he focused on complex cross-border investment in Japanese real estate. He often represents Japanese clients and is proficient in spoken and written Japanese.
Experience
Development
- Representing landowner in negotiating and drafting transaction documentation for multiple complex residential and mixed-use development projects in the Honolulu urban core area
- Representing landowner in negotiating and drafting transaction documents for the largest solar energy project in the State of Hawai‘i
- Representing educational institution in connection with development of community outreach facilities on O‘ahu
- Representing a developer in negotiating and documenting acquisition, condominium, construction, joint development, and leasing documentation for the development of a shopping mall on O‘ahu
- Representing a developer in negotiating and documenting the development, construction, and financing of a planned community on Hawaiian Home Lands
- Representing a developer in negotiating and documenting a joint venture for development of a shopping mall in Japan
Finance
- Representing local and foreign parties in providing mezzanine financing for development of a luxury residential condominium project in Honolulu
- Representing a national bank in developing its financing forms for the State of Hawai‘i
- Representing various Japanese banks in the sale of loans secured by various hotel properties in Hawai‘i
- Representing a U.S. private investment bank sponsor in structuring and documenting a $125 million offshore fund investing in Japanese real estate
- Representing a U.S. REIT in obtaining a JPY 25 billion line of credit to acquire and develop projects in Japan
Purchase and Sale Transactions
- Representing the purchaser of a shopping mall on O‘ahu
- Representing landowner in sale of undeveloped tracts of property on the Island of Hawai‘i for development
- Representing a large Hawai‘i real estate investment company in acquisitions of numerous existing and development properties on the islands of O‘ahu, Maui, and Kaua‘i
- Representing a NYSE listed industrial products company in the acquisition of its Japan subsidiary through a purchase of outstanding stock from joint venture partners
- Representing a large Singaporean investment entity in due diligence on a retail property acquisition in Japan
- Representing a real estate investment company in concluding a strategic alliance with a U.S. REIT for acquisition of industrial properties in Japan
- Representing a U.S. REIT in its acquisitions of approximately 50 acres of properties in Japanese metropolitan areas for development of over 3.5 million square feet of distribution facilities
- Representing a NYSE listed software company in restructuring its exclusive distribution arrangement with its Japanese distributor, involving the company’s acquisition of the distributor’s division that handled the company’s products
Leasing
- Representing various large landowners in drafting their forms of long-term commercial ground leases
- Representing landowner in negotiating and documenting a long-term ground lease for a high-rise office building in downtown Honolulu
- Representing landowner in negotiating and documenting a long-term ground lease for a large agricultural property with an international beverage company
- Representing landowner in negotiating and documenting ground lease to large national “big-box” retailer
- Representing owner of office buildings throughout the State of Hawai‘i in preparing office leases
Awards
- Listed in Best Lawyers®, since 2015
Education
- J.D., University of Washington (with honors)
- Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (Stanford Center)
- A.B., Princeton University, summa cum laude
Admissions
- Hawai‘i State Bar (1995)
- United States District Court for the District of Hawai‘i
Membership
- Hawaii State Bar Association
- Board Member, Real Property & Financial Services Section, Hawai‘i State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Japan-America Society of Hawai‘i
- “Notes, Guaranties and Letter of Credit, Vol. III Ch. 3,” Hawai‘i Real Estate Law Manual (2011) (Author)
- “Documents for Lease to Fee Conversion,” Hawai‘i Conveyance Manual, 5th Edition (2010) (Author)
- “Ethical Concerns on Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Field,” Cades Schutte Corporate Counsel In-House Seminar (September 27, 2024) (Co-Presenter)
