Mr. Shinyama is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation and Trial Group and Government and Regulatory Affairs Group. Since joining the firm in 2007, Mr. Shinyama has represented clients in complex civil and commercial litigation cases, and state administrative proceedings, in the areas of business litigation, environmental litigation, land use, class actions, construction defects, labor and employment, medical malpractice, personal injury, and more.
Mr. Shinyama has extensive experience in leading all aspects of a case from pre-trial to verdict, including appeals. His trial experience includes successfully defending against a multi-million dollar disability discrimination lawsuit and a large employment retaliation lawsuit. He has also successfully served as defense counsel for a developer and general contractor in several large class-action construction defect lawsuits involving one of the largest residential developments in Hawai‘i. Over the years, Mr. Shinyama has also successfully represented a Hawaii-based medical center against multiple medical malpractice and premises liability actions. Mr. Shinyama also has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution and has successfully and favorably settled numerous cases.
Mr. Shinyama also represents the TMT International Observatory, LLC (“TIO”) in connection with the permitting and construction of an observatory on Mauna Kea. His representation of TIO included a 44-day contested case/administrative hearing before the Board of Land and Natural Resources and oral arguments before the Hawai‘i Supreme Court, both of which resulted in TIO successfully obtaining the necessary legal permit to construct on Mauna Kea. Mr. Shinyama has also represented TIO before the Land Use Commission and in connection with multiple appeals and other court proceedings before appellate and circuit courts in the State of Hawai‘i.