News, Events & Awards
Posted on August 26th, 2020

Carlsmith Ball Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2021

Carlsmith Ball is pleased to announce that 28 attorneys from its Hawaii offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Among the attorneys listed, three were distinguished as "Lawyer of the Year," a designation given to a single attorney in each practice group by metropolitan area. This year, 10 attorneys were recipients of the “Ones to Watch” award, which recognizes attorneys who are earlier in their career for outstanding professional excellence. Demonstrating Carlsmith Ball's diverse expertise, attorneys were listed across 33 practice areas, with more than half of the attorneys selected as Best Lawyers in multiple practice areas. 

According to the publication, Best Lawyers® is the oldest and most esteemed peer-review publication. Inclusion is based exclusively on merit, and signals excellence and professionalism in the ranked practice areas. This year's guide is the product of exhaustive peer-review surveys where Carlsmith attorneys were confidentially evaluated by their professional peers. The result is an unbiased ranking of leaders in the legal industry.


Named Best Lawyers 2021 "Lawyer of the Year":

  • Arsima A. Muller | Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Harry Y. Oda | Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Tom E. Roesser | Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law


Named to Best Lawyers in America 2021:

  • Steven M. Egesdal | Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law
  • Joanne Lo Grimes | Corporate Governance Law; Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Nonprofit / Charities Law
  • William M. Harstad | Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Real Estate
  • Michelle C. Imata | Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law
  • Eric A. James | Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Environment Law; Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
  • John C. Khil | Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Tax Law
  • Lorraine S. Klevansky | Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Karl K. Kobayashi | Administrative / Regulatory Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Project Finance Law; Real Estate Law
  • Jennifer A. Lim | Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Steven S.C. Lim | Administrative / Regulatory Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law
  • John P. (Pete) Manaut | Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Environmental; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Joy M. Miyasaki | Litigation and Controversy - Tax; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
  • Arsima A. Muller | Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Mark K. Murakami | Real Estate Law
  • Vicki Y. Nakahara | Real Estate Law
  • Craig G. Nakamura | Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
  • Harry Y. Oda | Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates
  • Lawrence S. Okinaga | Administrative / Regulatory Law; Banking and Finance Law; Consumer Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Dean H. Robb | Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation
  • Tom E. Roesser | Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
  • Robert E. Strand | Real Estate Law
  • Gerald A. Sumida | Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Governance Law; Energy Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Paul M. Ueoka | Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Real Estate Law
  • Tom Van Winkle | Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Kai Wang | Real Estate Law
  • David W.K. Wong | Tax Law
  • Jon T. Yamamura | Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Rodd H. Yano | Real Estate Law


Named Best Lawyers 2021 "Ones to Watch":