At Carlsmith Ball, our history is driven by change. From the founding of our first office in Hilo in 1857, to welcoming the state’s first woman lawyer, to representing Hawaii’s earliest condominium projects, we’ve been a part of the evolving legal landscape over the past 160 years. And we haven’t stopped there.
Today, Carlsmith Ball has offices in Honolulu, Hilo, Kona and Maui. We have attorneys with diverse backgrounds, extensive knowledge and a deep breadth of expertise in multiple practice areas. Our attorneys are known as Best Lawyers© and legal leaders with a strong reputation for excellence and commitment to our clients.
We also possess a collaborative and innovative spirit that encourages our attorneys to work across practice groups. Together, they share knowledge and call on new approaches as well as refined tactics to deliver quality legal services.
Drawing from a century and a half of history, we’ll continue to lead the way in Hawaii’s legal industry.
Administrative & Regulatory
Unique environmental, preservation, land and water issues in Hawaii present a number of political, governmental and regulatory challenges for developers and corporations.
As the oldest law firm in Hawaii, Carlsmith Ball has a long history of navigating the legal landscape and working successfully with federal, state and county government agencies. Our Administrative Law and Regulatory Law Practice Group provides solutions that make it possible for clients to successfully achieve their business objectives in Hawaii.
Our attorneys advise clients on the following administrative and regulatory legal issues:
Banking & Finance
Carlsmith Ball attorneys have a deep understanding of financial laws, regulations and administrative processes in Hawaii, on the U.S. mainland and throughout the Pacific. We have experience financing projects, completing transactions and closing deals within and outside U.S. jurisdictions.
Carlsmith’s banking and finance attorneys are known for developing innovative financing structures and nuanced approaches to regulatory compliance. We have longstanding relationships with regulators at the federal and local level. We work with a wide range of clients, including banks, savings and loan associations, financial services loan companies, bank holding companies, credit unions, fund managers, government agencies, insurers, investors and businesses of all sizes.
Our Banking and Finance Practice Group works closely with Tax, Mergers & Acquisitions and Real Estate & Project Development Practice Groups to ensure clients have thorough representation.
Our banking and finance attorneys advise clients on:
Corporate, Business Formation & Operations
Carlsmith Ball’s Corporate Law Practice Group represents businesses of all sizes, including sole proprietorships, growing businesses and corporations looking to expand into Hawaii and the Pacific Rim. We guide entrepreneurs through the process of registering a business, reviewing and negotiating contracts, and provide counsel on licensing, tax planning and employment law.
Our expertise also spans corporate law and regulatory matters affecting business operations. Our law firm advises clients on business issues with a keen understanding of all parties involved, from shareholders to employees. We work closely with other firm attorneys focused on tax, labor and employee benefits, real property and environmental matters and dispute resolution to provide customized and innovative solutions for complex legal challenges.
Our corporate attorneys advise clients with:
Environmental Practice Group
The Environmental Law Practice Group is comprised of regulatory, transactional and litigation attorneys who serve as advisors and advocates for clients with environmental issues in the Pacific region.
Carlsmith Ball’s environmental law attorneys represent developers, major landowners, energy producers, financial institutions, educational institutions and governmental institutions on a vast array of environmental matters under state and federal environmental laws and regulations. We work closely with our Tax, Real Property and Administrative Law Practice Groups to help clients protect their interests and assets while complying with appropriate regulations.
Our Environmental Law Practice Group offers the following expertise:
Real Estate & Project Development
Carlsmith Ball's Real Estate Practice Group keeps pace with rapidly changing laws and regulations to help our clients effectively pursue and develop real estate opportunities. Our diverse client base includes buyers and sellers of commercial property, developers, landowners, businesses and corporations, financial institutions, landlords and tenants, property management companies, title insurers and real estate brokers.
Our real estate attorneys represent clients in the acquisition, development and sale of all types of commercial, industrial, unimproved and residential properties. Our attorneys incorporate their knowledge of interrelated disciplines to help clients with a wide range of projects and legal issues related to local, mainland and international real estate.
Carlsmith Ball attorneys manage all facets of real estate acquisition and sales, including:
Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution
Businesses today regularly have to address disputes, claims and the constant threat of litigation. Carlsmith Ball’s Litigation Practice Group is skilled at helping clients avoid disputes or resolving them through negotiation and mediation.
When litigation or arbitration is unavoidable, our award-winning attorneys’ broad experience in discovery, motions practice, and trial and appellate proceedings provides the basis of strong advocacy for our clients in a wide range of substantive matters.
Our litigation attorneys represent individuals and businesses in disputes involving:
Tax, Estate Planning & Pension
Carlsmith Ball’s Tax, Estate Planning and Pension Practice Group has a broad range of tax law expertise at the federal, state, local and international levels. Our attorneys advise clients on trusts, estate planning and pensions, ensuring their assets are managed efficiently and minimizing potential legal disputes when the time comes for generational wealth transfers.
Our pension law attorneys work with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, private businesses and public traded companies to establish benefits programs and manage executive compensation. We also provide legal services for entrepreneurs, growing family businesses, individuals who wish to make planned giving arrangements, philanthropic organizations and private foundations.
Our tax services for businesses and individuals include:
Our estate planning legal services include:
Our pension, employee benefit and executive compensation legal practice, one of the largest in Hawaii, provides the following services:
