Joel D. Kam

Co-Managing Partner

Mr. Kam specializes in real estate transactions, real estate development with an emphasis on land use entitlements and zoning matters, lease rent negotiation and arbitration, ground leases, financing, and administrative proceedings.

Mr. Kam has represented clients in connection with the acquisition, financing, development and disposition of resort, office, mixed-use, industrial and master-planned properties. He has extensive experience with lease rent negotiations and arbitrations, and with land use permits, entitlements and zoning matters. Mr. Kam has also successfully represented clients in administrative proceedings before various state and county boards and commissions, and is a skilled oral advocate.

In advising his clients, Mr. Kam strives for practical solutions and cost-effectiveness, and always endeavors to communicate plainly and with precision.

As special counsel to the City and County of Honolulu in 1999, Mr. Kam co-authored substantial and structural revisions to Honolulu’s Land Use Ordinance (LUO) that instituted the major/minor permit application processes which remain in effect to date. He has been frequently retained by the State of Hawaii, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as a special consultant on subdivision registration matters. Mr. Kam is also an arbitrator with the Court Annexed Arbitration Program administered by the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Mr. Kam has been recognized by the prestigious Best Lawyers in America since 2019.

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Education
  • Stanford Law School, J.D., 1993
  • University of Hawaii, Manoa, B.A., with distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, 1989
Bar Admissions
  • U.S. District Court of Hawaii
  • U.S. Court of Appeals – 9th Circuit
  • State Courts of Hawaii
Professional Affiliations and Community Activities
  • Hawaii State Bar Association, Director, Real Property and Financial Services Section (2011-2014)
  • Director, Hospice Hawaii, 2013-2015