Kukui Claydon
Director
What People Say About Us
"A very aggressive litigation group with some highly talented lawyers."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"A top notch law firm — highly impressive. Strategic thinkers with an uncommon ability to sift through complex issues to get to common-sense solutions."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"The individuals we work with come with high recommendations and take an assertive stance."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"Starn O'Toole clearly stands out above the rest in what they do."
Benchmark Litigation
"An impressive reputation as a go to commercial litigation law firm for regional and global corporations."
Benchmark Litigation
"We were looking for the best litigators in Hawaii, and we found them."
Benchmark Litigation
"The team is praised for comprising"excellent attorneys"who are"highly knowledgeable."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"thoughtful, creative problem solvers. They have the courage to challenge the client when it is their best interest."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"They have been an excellent representative for us. They are thoughtful in their analysis of the situation, have explored a variety of available options, offered sound advice and followed through with persistence."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Client Comment
"Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher has excellent lawyers. They are great advisors, and are very professional and polished."
The Best Lawyers in America©, Client Comment
"Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher is an excellent and responsive firm that understands business needs and issues."
The Best Lawyers in America©, Client Comment
"An excellent firm. Excellent service and very responsive, with well trained junior associates. They provide sound commercial advice."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"The thing that really makes them stand out is their business advisory capabilities — they are very insightful about the business side of real estate acquisitions."
Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Comment
"The best attorneys are in this firm. They are sensitive to the client's needs, most professional and won all of my litigation cases. I would highly recommend this law firm."
The Best Lawyers in America©, Client Comment
"Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher is the best firm I’ve had the pleasure of working with over a 38 year career. To a person, they are all professional, caring, effective and ethical."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers®, "Best Law Firms”, Comment
"Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher has strong partners and associates in both real estate and commercial litigation. They are well respected by peers and local judges."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher is first rate. The level of professionalism is extraordinary, and the competence is off the charts. Their negotiating ability with opposing counsel was superb; professional, courteous, and firm. They were able therefore, to reach good settlements and serve us very well while maintaining fine relationships with opposing counsel. This is a confident firm, with confidence based on achievement."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher is one of the best most competent firms and attorneys I have ever used."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"I never cease to be surprised at the skills Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher brings in solving my legal issues. They are well connected and well regarded around town."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"When we got into a litigation matter in Hawaii, we got a reference to Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher. They not only exceed in their expertise, they understand the culture and politics of the area as well. Stephanie Thompson and the staff in particular showed impeccable integrity. I usually refrain from participating in these types of surveys, but I wanted to share how great this firm is."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers
"The attorneys at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher have proved to be extremely efficient and responsive and while they are a top rate firm, their efficiency in work keeps costs reasonable. I enjoy and appreciate working with them, especially Ken Marcus."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"Doug Chin, at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher, has been a wonderful partner in our government relations efforts. He is a consummate professional and well respected in our community, so he is able to open many doors for us. We appreciate our partnership with Doug and with Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"Stephanie and Trevor, at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher, helped us through a very difficult case with patience, compassion and diligence. Their attentiveness and candor got us the best possible outcome. I highly recommend!"
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
"The real estate team at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher are true professionals. They are very knowledgeable on matters of Hawaiian law, and take a practical business approach to negotiations and problem-solving. They possess excellent research, drafting and negotiating skills. The presence of a government relations capability at the firm is a definite plus. I have worked with the firm for many years and look forward to many more."
US News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”, Comment
Kukui Claydon is a Director of the firm. Ms. Claydon is an integral part of the firm’s litigation team, representing clients in complex litigation matters. Ms. Claydon’s practice is well-rounded with impressive depth representing clients in construction, real estate development, large financial institutions and business owners who are often involved in multimillion dollar disputes.
Ms. Claydon represents both corporate and public entities, ranging from large and medium-sized Hawaii companies to Fortune 500 firms, to national banks, to multiple state entities.
Ms. Claydon has been selected to the Hawaii Super Lawyers®, "Rising Star" List in the practice area of Business Litigation since 2018.
Ms. Claydon has been named to The Best Lawyers in America©: Ones to Watch list in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Litigation.
Ms. Claydon is the President Elect of and active in the Hawaii Federal Bar Association. Ms. Claydon has also been selected as a lawyer representative to the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, a two-year position.
Examples of notable matters Ms. Claydon has worked on include:
Lender Litigation. Representation of national banks in State and Federal Court, in defending wrongful foreclosure suits, pursuing multimillion dollar commercial foreclosures, and defense in fair debt collection practices, and other suits.
Complex Construction Defects Litigation. Representation of general contractor in multimillion dollar complex construction dispute over defects in luxury resort construction.
Contract Litigation. Representation of various corporate clients in contractual disputes.
Real Estate Developer Defense. Assisted in representation of developer of Hokuliʻa, a luxury subdivision development on the Kona coast of Hawaii, in a dispute related to the sale of multiple related lots. Following the recession in 2008, the luxury development was stalled. Claimants had purchased residential lots prior to full effect of economic downturn, and when portions of the project were subsequently delayed or not completed, claimants asserted claims seeking recission of their purchase contracts, and punitive and/or treble damages. Following a multi-week arbitration, all claims not previously disposed of by summary judgment or settlement were resolved in favor of developer client by three-member arbitration panel.
State Entity Defense. Defense of multiple State entities in a variety of claims brought by private parties and state entities in lower and appellate state courts, and before the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board.
Product Liability Defense. Represented international airplane manufacturing company over products liability dispute relating to helicopter crash. The case settled shortly before trial.
Appellate Litigation. Represented numerous clients in appellate litigation and briefing both as appellant and appellee, including matters related to land use and easement disputes, wrongful foreclosure matters, representation of institutions against allegations of sexual abuse in appeals by co-defendants, and complex construction appellate matters.
Ms. Claydon serves on the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Hawaii.
While in law school, Ms. Claydon served as research assistant on numerous projects including the biography of Justice Ruth Badar Ginsburg, with Professor(s) Wendy Williams and Mary Hartnett; on the China Health Law Initiative for the O'Neil Institute for National and Global Health Law; and researcher and technical editor for Georgetown Law Journal's Annual Review of Criminal Procedure. She also served as the Executive and Submissions Editor for the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics for two years.
Ms. Claydon published The Real Time Players: Legal Ethics, Public Interest, and Professional Sports Subsidies, Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, Summer 2014, Vol XXVII No.3.
