Robert Bruce Graham, Jr.
Partner

Robert Bruce Graham, Jr., a partner at Ashford & Wriston, began practicing law in 1973 and joined the firm in 1989.

He is a member of the firm’s management and compensation committee. Mr. Graham’s practice focuses on real estate transactions, including commercial leasing and land title issues; trust administration; and nonprofit organizations. His experience includes:

• Counsel to the Roman Catholic Church In The State Of Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii
• Representation of the Kamehameha Schools concerning trust law issues, property title and Hawaiian land rights
• Representation of title companies and numerous Hawaii landowners in matters concerning the determination of title, boundaries and appurtenant rights, and Land Court (Torrens Registry) matters
• Court-appointed master to review the accounts and administration of numerous private and charitable trusts, including the Kapiolani Park Trust

Professional Activities:

Mr. Graham is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL). He is the author of “Land Court Petitions” and “Legal Description and Title Search” (Hawaii Conveyance Manual, 5th ed., 2010); “Traditional Hawaiian Land Law” (Hawaii Real Estate Law Manual, 2008); “Legal Description and Title Search” (Hawaii Conveyance Manual IV, 2001 and Hawaii Conveyance Manual II, 1992); “Traditional Hawaiian Land Law” (Hawaii Real Estate Law Manual, 1997); “Title Matters” (Hawaii Commercial Real Estate Manual, 1988); and Co-Author, Boundary Law In Hawaii (1990). He has been an Adjunct Professor of Real Property Law at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii since 2001. A frequent speaker concerning Hawaiian land law and related matters, he has spoken at seminars sponsored by the Hawaii Bar Association, Hawaii Association of Land Surveyors, Hawaii Association of Realtors, Hawaii Developers’ Council, Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), NAIOP, Counselors in Real Estate (CRE) and others. Mr. Graham previously served as a director of the Real Property and Financial Services Section of the Hawaii State Bar and as a Hawaii Bar examiner.

Professional Recognition:

Mr. Graham is identified as one of the best real estate lawyers in Hawaii in The Best Lawyers in America, 1995 to present editions; as one of the leading Hawaii real property lawyers in America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Chambers USA), 2003 to present; and by Super Lawyers magazine, 2010 to present in the fields of real estate, estate & trust litigation, and nonprofit law. He was inducted as a member of Lambda Alpha International Honorary Land Economics Society (Hawaii Chapter) in 1998 and is an honorary member of the Hawaii Land Surveyors Association. Mr. Graham has received the Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rating.

Community Activities:
Mr. Graham is the Hawaii member of the Diocesan Attorneys Association of the United States Catholic Conference. He previously served as an officer and director of Damien Memorial School, and as a member of the Finance Council and the Development Committee of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. He served as director of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. For more than 18 years, he was president of the Association of Apartment Owners of Harbor Square, a 370-unit mixed use residential and commercial condominium in downtown Honolulu, and coordinated its rent renegotiations and eventual conversion to fee simple ownership.