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Since 1980, Louise’s legal practice has focused on helping businesses, nonprofits
and individuals resolve their disputes, prevent future ones and get back to
business. Her litigation and dispute resolution practice covers areas of law that
impact businesses and businesspeople on a daily basis including contracts,
commercial transactions, leases, employment, real estate, creditor’s rights and
bankruptcy law. She has also devoted her energies to helping strengthen Hawai`i’s
communities as a board member of non-profits (University of Hawaii Foundation,
among others) and Hawai`i -based companies (American Savings Bank and Island
Holdings). She is president-elect of the Hawaii State Bar Association and has been
recognized in Best Lawyers™ and Chambers USA.
Areas of Practice
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
- Banking and Finance
- Lender liability
- Representation of receivers
- Creditors' rights and bankruptcy including representing creditors, asset sale and lease litigation, executory leases and contracts litigation, fraudulent conveyance, preferences, relief from stay litigation and representation of trustees
- Employment Law
- Wrongful termination
- Equal employment opportunity (discrimination, harassment and retaliation issues)
- Personnel management and training (handbooks, employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, severance agreements, workplace training)
- Proprietary rights (confidentiality and non-compete agreements)
- Workplace investigations
- Litigation
- Breach of contract and other business disputes
- Business torts and complex business disputes
- Business valuation disputes
- Class actions
- Fraudulent conveyance
- Partnership disputes
- Professional liability
- RICO
- Uniform Commercial Code
- Real estate litigation including real property sales, contract disputes, foreclosures, lease disputes and partition
- Civil rights including reproductive rights and disabilities laws
Admitted to Practice
- Hawai`i
- California (inactive)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai`i
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Litigation Section
- Labor & Employment Section
- American Bar Foundation
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Federal Bar Association
- Hawai`i State Bar Association
- President-Elect (2010)
- Past board member of Young Lawyers Division, Labor & Employment Law Section (Vice chair, 2006) and Bankruptcy Section
- Hawai`i Women’s Legal Foundation
- President (1992-1993)
- Board of Directors (1986-1993)
- Served as lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and on various United States District Court committees to recommend selection of bankruptcy judge, magistrate judge and federal public defender; to implement Civil Justice Reform Act; to review and revise local civil procedure rules.
- American Savings Bank, Honolulu, Hawai`i
- Board of Directors (1994-present)
- Island Holdings
- Board of Directors (2002-present)
- The University of Hawai`i Foundation
- Board of Trustees (1995-2001, 2004-present)
- Second Vice Chair (2000-2001)
- Former board member of Aloha Airlines and numerous nonprofit boards including Child & Family Service (Board Chair, 1992-93), Aloha United Way, The Hawai`i Community Foundation, Hawai`i Medical Service Association, Sutter Health Pacific, dba Kahi Mohala Behavorial Health, Historic Hawaii Foundation and Assets School.
Awards and Recognition
- Best Lawyers in America™
- Bet-The-Company Litigation (2010)
- Commercial Litigation (2008-2010)
- Martindale-Hubbell AV rating (1994-present)
- Chambers USA™, Leading Lawyers for Business in Commercial Litigation (2007-2010)
- Benchmark Litigation
- "Litigation Star" (2009-2010)
- YWCA Leadership Award (2004)
- Planned Parenthood of Hawai`i Bette Takahashi Award for Outstanding Community Service (2001)
- Hawai`i State Bar Association Award for Outstanding Contribution to Community Service (1993)
Education
- University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, CA (J.D. 1978)
- Yale University, New Haven, CT (B.A. magna cum laude, 1974)
Past Positions
- Paul, Johnson, Alston & Hunt, Honolulu, HI
- Shareholder (1986-1991)
- Associate (1981-1986)
- Carlsmith & Dwyer, Honolulu, HI
- The Honorable Samuel P. King, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai`i
Born
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