our attorneys
justin M. Bongco
Justin M. Bongco is a first-chair trial lawyer, whose experience is as wide as it is deep. Justin’s experience spans the civil-criminal divide, having been both a BigLaw litigator and a prosecutor. It also spans the state and federal court systems, having clerked in federal court and tried cases in state court. Indeed, Justin’s experience even spans three states. He clerked in Washington (though not admitted in Washington state) and is admitted to practice in Hawai‘i and California.
Whether it’s trying a DUI case to verdict in traffic court or briefing a case before the Ninth Circuit, Justin has done it.
Using his diverse experience, Justin helps clients on a range of issues. He advises his real estate clients on landlord-tenant disputes, contractor disputes, contract drafting, and compliance. He helps his trust and estates clients navigate complex systems of intestacy, probate, and trust administration. And when a dispute is a poor fit for his BigLaw counterparts, Justin offers his extensive commercial litigation experience to clients who want big firm skill at a small firm rate.
background
After graduating from law school, Justin was a litigation associate at Winston & Strawn LLP in Los Angeles, where he represented several corporations from major banks to video game companies. Later, Justin moved to Seattle to serve as a judicial law clerk to United States District Court Judge Richard A. Jones in the Western District of Washington.
After his clerkship, Justin moved home to Hawai‘i, where he returned to civil litigation at an international law firm before joining the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. As a deputy prosecuting attorney, Justin tried numerous bench and jury trials to verdict. When he left the prosecutor’s office to form Bongco Law, Justin was in the Felony Trials division.
education
Justin received a J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where he served as an executive senior editor of the Southern California Law Review. He received a B.B.A in Finance from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
Admissions
Hawai‘i
California
Clerkships
Hon. Richard A. Jones, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Jaclyn T. Sakamoto started her career in the courtroom. From traffic court to circuit court, from petty misdemeanors to felonies, Jaclyn has grown into a skilled courtroom lawyer and trial attorney. She uses that experience—often shared only by lawyers decades older—to advise her clients through the complex probate court system. Her many hours in court make her a reliable guide to probate clients who are often overwhelmed by the complexities of estates. And while Jaclyn hopes that every estate can be distributed smoothly and quickly, she knows that’s not always possible. In contested matters, clients can rely on Jaclyn’s background as a criminal prosecutor and trial attorney to put forth their best case.
background
After graduating law school, Jaclyn began her career as a deputy prosecuting attorney at the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. She worked her way up from petty misdemeanors to Class A felonies. When she left the prosecutor’s office, Jaclyn was in the Felony Trials division.
education
Jaclyn received a J.D. from the Seattle University School of Law. During her time at SU, Jaclyn served as the editor-in-chief of the Seattle University Law Review. She was also a member of the Moot Court Board and elected to the Order of Barristers, which recognizes excellence in oral and written advocacy.
Jaclyn received three B.A. degrees from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in Economics, Political Science, and American Studies.
Admissions
Hawai‘i