J. Patrick Gallagher
J. Patrick Gallagher is a 1980 graduate of the University of Notre Dame School of Law. He graduated cum laude from Cornell College in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in both Mathematics and Political Science. He attended the Centre for Human Rights and Responsibilities in London, England. He is admitted to both the Hawaii and Illinois bars. Mr. Gallagher practices primarily in the area of insurance defense and insurance law litigation. He has jury trial experience with personal injury, insurance fraud, brain damage claims, psychiatric claims, premises liability, and commercial general liability claims. He has represented defendants in construction defect and unfair competition claims. He has also defended manufacturers in product liability actions and air carriers in aviation claims. Mr. Gallagher is an experienced coverage counsel in declaratory relief and bad faith defense in both the first party and third party context. He has served as an expert witness in first-party insurance coverage dispute.
Mr. Gallagher has numerous jury trials, arbitration, and appellate experience before all Hawaii Circuit Courts, the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, the Hawaii Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Superior Court of Guam. He also directs the firm’s insurance coverage litigation practice before the Federal District Court and the Insurance Division of the DCCA and served on the Governor’s search committee for the State Insurance Commissioner. He is an annual speaker at the University of Hawaii Law School’s Torts & Insurance Law classes and a sought after speaker in the Hawaii Bar Association’s continuing legal education seminars on Civil Litigation practice.
Mr. Gallagher is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and Illinois Bar Association (inactive). He is on the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Defense Lawyers Association and a member of the Hawaii Federal District Court Bar Association. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and serves as a member of the Insurance Law Committee of the Defense Research Institute.
Mr. Gallagher is married with three children and serves as a high school and Pop Warner Football referee and is a member of the Hawaii Football Officials Association.
Mr. Gallagher has numerous jury trials, arbitration, and appellate experience before all Hawaii Circuit Courts, the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, the Hawaii Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Superior Court of Guam. He also directs the firm’s insurance coverage litigation practice before the Federal District Court and the Insurance Division of the DCCA and served on the Governor’s search committee for the State Insurance Commissioner. He is an annual speaker at the University of Hawaii Law School’s Torts & Insurance Law classes and a sought after speaker in the Hawaii Bar Association’s continuing legal education seminars on Civil Litigation practice.
Mr. Gallagher is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and Illinois Bar Association (inactive). He is on the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Defense Lawyers Association and a member of the Hawaii Federal District Court Bar Association. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and serves as a member of the Insurance Law Committee of the Defense Research Institute.
Mr. Gallagher is married with three children and serves as a high school and Pop Warner Football referee and is a member of the Hawaii Football Officials Association.
Joelle Segawa Kane
Joelle Segawa Kane earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and is a 1995 graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai’i, Manoa. She served as law clerk to the Honorable James R. Aiona, Jr. (ret.) of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii, during the inaugural year of the Hawai’i Drug Court. She now assists individuals, families, businesses, beneficiaries and fiduciaries with a wide variety of legal needs. Her practice areas include insurance, estate and trusts, probate, conservatorships, guardianships, elder law and civil litigation. Ms. Kane has represented clients in numerous state and federal court actions at all phases, including negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, discovery, pre-trial litigation, trials and appeals. She has extensive litigation and dispute resolution experience before all courts in the State of Hawai’i and has tried both jury and bench trials and handled numerous arbitration proceedings. Ms. Kane has also served as arbitrator and Kokua Kanawai for proceedings within the First Circuit, State of Hawaii.
Ms. Kane’s insurance practice includes insurance defense and coverage matters, focusing on commercial general liability, construction defect litigation and personal injury claims. Her estate and trust practice concentrates on estate planning, guardianships and conservatorships, probate and trust administration and litigation, and elder law.
Ms. Kane is a member of the American Bar Association, the Probate and Estate Planning and Elder Law Sections of the Hawai‘i State Bar Association, Hawai’i Estate Planning Council, a Director of the William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association, and former Chair of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawai’i. She is also an active member of her community and supports many local organizations such as HUGS, Daughters of Hawai’i, ‘Io Society, Hawai’i Community Foundation, ‘Ahahui Koa Anuenue and Spike and Serve.
Ms. Kane’s insurance practice includes insurance defense and coverage matters, focusing on commercial general liability, construction defect litigation and personal injury claims. Her estate and trust practice concentrates on estate planning, guardianships and conservatorships, probate and trust administration and litigation, and elder law.
Ms. Kane is a member of the American Bar Association, the Probate and Estate Planning and Elder Law Sections of the Hawai‘i State Bar Association, Hawai’i Estate Planning Council, a Director of the William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association, and former Chair of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawai’i. She is also an active member of her community and supports many local organizations such as HUGS, Daughters of Hawai’i, ‘Io Society, Hawai’i Community Foundation, ‘Ahahui Koa Anuenue and Spike and Serve.
Jacqueline W. S. Amai
Jacqueline W.S. Amai is a 1992 graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she also received her undergraduate degree. Ms. Amai served as a law clerk to the Honorable Patrick K.S.L. Yim (ret.) when he was the Civil Administrative Judge in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii. Before joining the firm, Ms. Amai was an associate for six years with the law firm of Kessner Duca Umebayashi Bain & Matsunaga where her practice focused upon workers’ compensation insurance defense in both state and federal forums.
Ms. Amai’s current practice continues to concentrate on workers’ compensation insurance defense, which includes the representation of employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators in workers’ compensation claims, the management and direction of defense litigation at administrative and appellate levels in state forums, and providing legal analyses of compensability and liability issues. She is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and serves as a moderator and speaker for seminars on workers’ compensation issues.
Ms. Amai’s current practice continues to concentrate on workers’ compensation insurance defense, which includes the representation of employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators in workers’ compensation claims, the management and direction of defense litigation at administrative and appellate levels in state forums, and providing legal analyses of compensability and liability issues. She is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and serves as a moderator and speaker for seminars on workers’ compensation issues.
Leah M. Reyes
Leah M. Reyes received her law degree from the Seattle University School of Law in 2000. She graduated from the University of Hawaii, Manoa with a bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Studies. Born and raised in Honolulu with roots deep in the community, she has watched the city grow with her career. Ms. Reyes joined the firm even before completing law school, working as both a paralegal and law clerk.
As a partner in the firm, Ms. Reyes concentrates her practice in the area of insurance defense with an emphasis in construction defect, insurance coverage, products liability, premises liability, asbestos, and toxic tort litigation. She has defended numerous contractors and developers in all walks including carpentry and framing, roofing, plumbing, air conditioning, EFIS, drywall and foundation. She has represented small business contractors and sub-contractors as well as large construction firms and developers. She has also been involved in the defense of wrongful death claims, personal injury claims, and automobile accident claims. Ms. Reyes has handled appeals to the Hawaii Supreme Court, the Intermediate Court of Appeals and The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ms. Reyes is a member of the Hawaii State Bar and Federal Bar Associations.
As a partner in the firm, Ms. Reyes concentrates her practice in the area of insurance defense with an emphasis in construction defect, insurance coverage, products liability, premises liability, asbestos, and toxic tort litigation. She has defended numerous contractors and developers in all walks including carpentry and framing, roofing, plumbing, air conditioning, EFIS, drywall and foundation. She has represented small business contractors and sub-contractors as well as large construction firms and developers. She has also been involved in the defense of wrongful death claims, personal injury claims, and automobile accident claims. Ms. Reyes has handled appeals to the Hawaii Supreme Court, the Intermediate Court of Appeals and The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ms. Reyes is a member of the Hawaii State Bar and Federal Bar Associations.