Best Law Firms in Hawaii

Deep Island Roots, World View

Over Sixty Years of Service to our Community. Our firm traces its roots back to 1963 when Frank Damon and Henry Shigekane founded a unique law firm. The ethnic and cultural mix inherent in our firm’s origin has continued as we have grown and is reflected by our ability to offer clients services in such languages as Japanese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and French, in addition to English.

Throughout our history, a diverse array of our attorneys have faithfully and steadfastly served our clients with a wide range of legal services. As Hawaii changed from the 1960’s until now, Damon Key adapted to meet the ever-evolving marketplace for legal services and now stands as one of Hawaii’s top law firms. Today, our attorneys provide civil legal services to local, national, and international clients, in both transactional and litigation practice areas. Damon Key attorneys take on pro bono cases and support Hawaii’s non-profit companies as members of their Boards of Directors. Through our membership with the international law firm affiliation, Meritas, and our deep involvement with the American Bar Association and Hawaii Bar Association, Damon Key is also ready to help our clients expand their reach beyond Hawaii’s shores into new markets on the continent and beyond.

At Damon Key, we think that firms are best judged by their people. Ours are committed, energetic and enthusiastic. We relish challenges. We temper intelligence and determination with wisdom conferred by a healthy sense of humor, a variety of experiences and a worldview that includes devotion to community and friends. Our firm attracts some of the freshest, brightest talents in law.

Clients benefit from the depth of expertise and diverse backgrounds of our attorneys, the synergy of working relationships within the firm, our multi-language capabilities, and our experience in business management, construction, teaching, science and engineering. We have earned a reputation for preventing and resolving client problems. We consistently strive to achieve cost-effective results, while keeping each client informed throughout the process. We understand that success is measured by client satisfaction.

Our office is in the center of the Honolulu business district, taking the 16th floor of Pauahi Tower at Bishop Square. We are the sole Hawaii firm that is part of the Meritas network of more than 187 independent law firms in at least 94 countries.

Our practice groups include: Appeals • Business & Commercial Law • Condominium & Community Association Law • Construction Law • Creditor's Rights & Bankruptcy • Immigration & Naturalization Law • Insurance • Land Use & Eminent Domain • Litigation & Dispute Resolution • Real Estate • Taxation • Wills, Trusts & Estates

For more about our firm, visit our website at www.hawaiilawyer.com.

Who We Are

JMY Law Group LLLC, A Limited Liability Law Company, is a firm of dedicated commercial real estate and finance law practitioners recognized for the depth and breadth of our experience. We practice collaboratively, providing our clients with value-based service. We provide practical solutions to local, U.S. mainland and international clients with complex or unique financial services, real estate transactions, or regulatory issues. Our thorough, timely and creative legal counsel enables our clients to remain competitive in Hawaii's business environment.     

Firm History

In February 2018, a group of attorneys specializing in real estate and financial services and with a long history of practicing together established JMY Law Group LLLC, A Limited Liability Law Company. The firm’s roots trace back to 1985 when Deborah Macer Chun, then a partner in the financial services practice group of one of Hawaii’s largest law firms, became a founding partner in the law firm that many remember as Oshima Chun Fong & Chung LLP.  It was at Oshima Chun that the more experienced attorneys at JMY Law Group LLLC first met and collaborated. In 2004, Deb Chun, David Rair and Janel Yoshimoto moved forward and established Chun Rair & Yoshimoto LLP. From these roots, JMY Law Group LLLC was founded.  Despite firm name changes, the core mission and values of this group of attorneys — who we are, how we approach client issues and offer solutions, and how we treat our clients and each other — have not changed.   

Our Mission and Values

At JMY Law Group LLLC, our attorneys and staff thrive on challenges, taking pride in finding practical solutions in a responsive and cost-effective manner for our clients. In maintaining our reputation as “deal makers” we seek to not only identify issues but, more importantly, to propose solutions.  We strive to provide our clients with comprehensive and practical advice, focusing not only on applicable laws, regulations and legal matters, but also work to understand how we can best serve our clients and to stay abreast of trends in our clients’ industries. We treat our clients, colleagues and each other with respect, humility and a sense of humor. We are fair, honest and dedicated, both in and out of the office. We are accessible, approachable and responsive. ​We know that the core of our vitality is our team and strive to capitalize on the unique talents and experiences of each member of the firm.  We are committed to our Honolulu community and enthusiastically engage in pro bono work, participate as speakers and committee members for programs sponsored by State and national bar associations, and dedicate our personal time to individual volunteer work. We create our success through our relationships, collective experience and expertise.

Areas of Practice – Real Estate

We represent buyers, sellers, lenders, borrowers, developers, building owners, landlords, tenants, partnerships and joint ventures with their transaction needs including:

• Facilitating the acquisition, sale or lease of commercial or residential properties
• Services for developers - entity formation, securing financing, site acquisition, permitting, zoning, construction management, transfer agreements and leases
• Organizing joint ventures to facilitate development, ownership or management of property
• Negotiating, drafting and review of all types of commercial leases
• Representation of lenders and borrowers in a variety of commercial mortgage lending matters  

Areas of Practice – Finance Law

We represent lenders and borrowers in a wide spectrum of legal services including:

• Drafting and negotiating loan documentation for a variety of financing projects, including real estate secured, construction and asset-based lending
• Services for lenders - loan document file review, loan portfolio sales and purchases and loan work-outs
• Due diligence review of collateral securing loans, including real property and development contracts

Attorneys

Member, Janel Yoshimoto

Counsel, John Lucey

Counsel, Lisa Young

Counsel, Alison Davidson

Counsel, Rodd Yano