Chase

Tajima

Chase Tajima is the managing partner at Trépanier Tajima LLP. Mr. Tajima handles all aspects of civil litigation including prefiling investigation, initial pleadings, discovery, depositions, summary judgment motions, trials and appeals in both state and federal courts.

Notable cases include:

• Interim arbitration and federal court injunction ordering customary access and power to subsea cable equipment located in a Guam data center
• Arbitration award reinstating telecommunications executive as CEO and director of data center
• $1.4 Million Settlement from Caltrans to RV Park for Eminent Domain Taking, Access Impairment and Property Damage
• $8 Million Construction Defect Arbitration Award for Beverly Hills Luxury Home Developer
• U.S. Tax Court: Defeated IRS assessment of cancellation of indebtedness income
• Resolved and settled $70 million Hawaii general excise tax assessments against hotel REIT
• Advised on $30 million 1031 exchange of condominium leased-fee interests

Prior to joining Trépanier Tajima LLP, Mr. Tajima was an associate attorney at Crockett & Associates practicing complex civil litigation in Los Angeles, California. Prior to that, he was an associate at Chun Kerr LLP in Honolulu, Hawaii where he practiced in real estate transactions, commercial leasing, mortgage finance, tax controversy, tax planning, real property tax, and business organizations. There, he achieved a trial victory against the IRS (T.C. Memo 2015-91), litigated a $70 million state tax assessments for a publicly traded hotel company and advised on a $30 million 1031 exchange of fractional condominium interests. He co-authored the 2011 edition of the Limited Liability Company Manual for the Hawaii State Bar Association and was formerly the vice chair of Hawaii State Bar Association’s tax section.

While in law school, he assisted the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with a successful prosecution of a serial rapist and murderer. Mr. Tajima also served as an intern for Judge David Laro of the United States Tax Court and for the IRS. At Loyola Law, Mr. Tajima achieved First Honors in his income taxation and ethical lawyering course work and qualified for the Dean’s Honor List. At Georgetown Law, Mr. Tajima graduated with distinction near the top of his class.

Prior to law school, Mr. Tajima worked at an international business consulting firm and, in college, served as a Capitol Hill intern for Hawaii Congressman Ed Case.