Honolulu real estate attorney Peter Starn has over 45 years experience in the areas of commercial real estate development and operations.  Mr. Starn has extensive experience in corporate finance, mergers, and acquisitions. His real property practice includes the development, sale, acquisition, financing, and restructuring of hotels, office buildings, condominiums, and shopping centers, with particular expertise in the hotel industry. He has a strong command of construction law and is skillful at finessing the fine points of dispute resolution.

Much of Mr. Starn’s practice centers on international transactions.  He has also managed large complex litigation matters for corporate clients and for large land holding trusts in Hawaii.

Mr. Starn holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible professional rating (AV) both in Hawaii and in California; this rating is given by his legal peers, based on their knowledge of his work, reputation and integrity.  Mr. Starn has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, as "Lawyer of the Year" in Honolulu, in the practice area of Administrative/Regulatory Law (2014), and in the practice area of Business Organizations (2018).

He is recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Business Organizations, Construction Law, Corporate Law, Leisure & Hospitality Law, Mergers & Acquisitions and Real Estate Law. Mr. Starn has been selected to the Super Lawyers list each year since 2008 in the practice area of Real Estate Law, and by Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business in the practice areas of Real Estate Law and Corporate/Commercial.

Mr. Starn is a former Naval Aviator and Marine Corps Officer and has on occasion undertaken matters relating to aviation law.

Some examples of Mr. Starn’s recent work include:

Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.  Represented Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. and the controlling shareholder of Regent International Hotels Limited in the sale of the controlling shareholder's stock in Regent International Hotels Limited.  Mr. Starn has also worked with Morgan Stanley on other large (U.S. $100 million plus) real estate acquisitions and dispositions. 

Goldman Sachs.  Represented Goldman Sachs Whitehall Street Real Estate Limited Partners V in their review of several major commercial properties in Hawaii for potential acquisition.  Work included due diligence review, advice concerning long-term commercial leasehold estates, contract review and negotiations with the Seller. 

Japanese Lending Consortium. Representation of a consortium of major Japanese lenders in liquidating their ownership interests and loans related to a major hotel.  Work included sale of the hotel, resolution of disputes with their U.S. partner and functioning as general counsel for the consortium by managing complex litigation involving more than twenty other laws firms.

Campbell Estate.  Represented Campbell Estate in negotiating the master development lease and purchase rights with the developers for West Beach Resorts of a major destination resort on Oahu. 

Outrigger Hotels Hawaii.  Represented Outrigger Hotels Hawaii related to areas of expertise in the hotel industry, including hotel acquisitions and dispositions, structuring management contracts, technical service agreements and joint ventures. 

International Japanese Real Estate Ventures.  Represented large international Japanese corporate joint ventures in need of business law services including negotiating development agreements, construction and architect contracts, land acquisition and financing for major hotel developments in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. 

Broadcasting.  Represented major broadcaster in acquisitions and dispositions of radio stations in multiple markets, as well as the merger and split-up of radio network and major bank financing of those activities. 

Damon Estate. Represented major land owning estate in negotiating long-term commercial leases and development agreements. 

International Investment Company.  Represents major international investment company in its tax planning, structuring, operations and investments on a worldwide basis. 

Strategic Advice. Represents a number of substantial individuals in business ventures and gives strategic advice concerning the best way to position them to maximize their opportunity to achieve their optimal objectives even in distressed situations.

Major Landowner.  Represented major landowner in negotiating long-term development leases for major Hyatt and Marriott resort hotels, including financial protection of lessor's real estate in the event of either foreclosure during development or failure by developer to complete the hotels. 

Hotel Operators.  Retained by three different major hotel operators because of Mr. Starn's expertise in the hotel industry to review and update their standard hotel management contract with latest innovations and provisions. 

U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command.  Represented prime contractor for U.S. Army’s Strategic Defense Command in resolving dispute with a British aerospace company over lease provisions for aircraft leased to service the Kwajalein Missile Range Facility.

Unicold Corporation.  Represents the largest frozen storage facility in Hawaii as general counsel, as well as in enforcing representations and warranties made by seller under the acquisition agreement and advice concerning various leasehold matters as well as any additional Hawaii real estate needs. 

Fortune 500 Corporation.  Represented the corporation in negotiating a major international LIBOR loan transaction and appropriate "swap" agreements to fully hedge loan back to U.S. dollars.  Represented the same corporation in renegotiating its long-term corporate debentures which totaled more than U.S. $500 million. 

Federation of Korean Industries.  Asked by the Government of South Korea to present seminar for the executives of Korea's largest industries, as well as to the Korean Foreign Contractors Association on considerations and techniques for international real estate development, financing and acquisition.