Carlsmith Ball Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2023

Carlsmith Ball is pleased to announce that 28 attorneys from its Hawaii offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Demonstrating Carlsmith Ball's diverse expertise, our attorneys were listed across 30 practice areas, and nearly all of the attorneys were chosen as Best Lawyers in multiple areas. In five practice areas, Carlsmith attorneys were honored as "Lawyer of the Year," a designation awarded to only one attorney per practice area in each region. The firm is top-listed (meaning it has the most recognized lawyers in a practice area) in 5 practice areas in the State and 3 practice areas in the City. In addition, seven attorneys received the “Ones to Watch” award, which recognizes attorneys who are earlier in their career for outstanding professional excellence, and the firm is top-listed in the State "Ones to Watch" award for Administrative / Regulatory Law.

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 2023 "Lawyer of the Year":

• Joanne Lo Grimes | Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Joanne Lo Grimes | Nonprofit / Charities Law    
  
• John P. Manaut| Litigation - Environmental
  
• Tom E. Roesser | Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Tom E. Roesser | Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
  

Named to Best Lawyers in America 2023:

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

Named Best Lawyers 2023 "Ones to Watch":

• Erika S. Gustin |Commercial Litigation
• Avery C. Matro | Administrative / Regulatory Law; and Real Estate Law
• Daniel J. Padilla | Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Real Estate Law; Tax Law; and Trusts and Estates
  
• Derek B. Simon | Administrative / Regulatory Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; and Real Estate Law
• Puananionaona (Onaona) P. Thoene | Administrative / Regulatory Law; Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Energy Law; Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; and Litigation - Environmental
  
• Ian R. Wesley-Smith | Alternative Dispute Resolution; Commercial Litigation; and Litigation - Construction
• Shawn H. Yamada | Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law; and Trusts and Estates