Wayne P. Nasser (1946-2023)
In Memoriam

Wayne P. Nasser, was a partner at Ashford & Wriston. He began practicing with the firm in 1971 following his graduation from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law.  

Wayne was a mentor to many attorneys, a formidable opponent in the courtroom, and a trusted partner.  He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaii real property case law and loved the challenge of tackling complex title issues, particularly those involving Land Court property. 

Wayne passed away on April 21, 2023.  He is greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at Ashford + Wriston.

Professional Activities:

Wayne’s practice focused on litigation involving land titles, easements, escrow contracts, title insurance, beach accretion, landlord-tenant disputes, and eminent domain. Among his many successes he represented:

°   a landowner against the United States in an inverse condemnation claim regarding airport noise and accident zones;

°   a landowner in quieting title to several thousand acres which included a claim by the State of Hawaii to a large tract with no paper title; and

°   represented the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands against challenges to title and the right to use the Pacific Missile Test Range at Kwajalein Atoll

As a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association, Wayne served on its attorney-client relations committee for many years. He was also a member of the American Bar Association (TIPS section and Title Insurance Committee). Wayne was a frequent and entertaining speaker at seminars on easements, title insurance and inverse condemnation. In the later years of his career, he was often retained as an expert witness or litigation consultant on easements, Land Court practice, and land titles. He was a member of the Permanent Committee on Land Court Matters. Wayne was recognized by Best Lawyers® as Hawaii’s 2014 “Lawyer of the Year” in the field of Real Estate Litigation and the 2016 Lawyer of the Year in Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law.

Community Activities:

Wayne was a certified Track & Field official and officiated numerous ILH and State championship meets.  He was known for using his sense of humor to put participants at ease before competitions.

Reported Cases:
Nishida v. 3908 Kamoku LLC,  150 Haw. 219 (Ct. App. 2021)
Kondaur Capital Corporation v. Matsuyoshi, 150 Haw. 1 (Ct. App. 2021)
Andrade v. Gaurino, 829 Fed.Appx. 292 (9^th Cir. 2020)
Gomes v. Olu Pua Gardens LLC, 146 Haw. 626 (Ct. App. 2020)
Coco Palms Hui LLC v. Mau-Espirito, 144 Haw. 377 (Ct. App. 2019)
Ibbetson v. Kaiawe, 143 Haw. 1 (2018)
Anastasi v. Fidelity National Title Ins. Co., 137 Haw. 104 (2016)
Krog v. Koahou, 133 Haw. 186 (2014)
Kauai Community Federal Credit Union v. Pia, 128 Haw. 499 (Ct. App. 2013)
Hart v. Ticor Title Ins. Co., 126 Haw. 448 (2012)
143 Nenue Holdings, LLC v. Bonds, 123 Haw. 292 (Ct. App. 2010)
Wells Fargo Home Mortg., Inc. v. De Rego, 114 Haw. 182 (Ct. App. 2007)
Keahole Defense Coalition, Inc. v. Board of Land and Natural Resources, 110 Haw. 419 (2006)
Kimura v. Kamalo, 106 Haw. 501 (2005)
City and County of Honolulu v. Hsuing, 109 Haw. 159 (2005)
Hsuing v. City and County of Honolulu, 378 F.Supp.2d 1258 (D. Haw. 2005)
Hawaii Electric Light Co., Inc. v. Department of Land and Natural Resources, 102 Haw. 257 (2003)
Allstate Ins. Co. v. Hui, 57 F.Supp.2d 1029 (D. Haw. 1999)
Trust Created Under Will of Damon, 76 Haw. 120 (1994)
Richardson v. City and County of Honolulu, 76 Haw. 46 (1994)
Small Landowners of Oahu v. City and County of Honolulu, 832 F.Supp. 1404 (D. Haw. 1993)
W.H. Shipman, Ltd. v. Hawaiian Holiday Macadamia Nut Co., Inc., 8 Haw.App. 354 (1990)
F.E. Trotter, Inc. v. Watkins, 869 F.2d 1312 (9^th Cir. 1989)
Koga Engineering & Const., Inc. v. Castle Hills Ventures, 7 Haw.App. 151 (1988)
Kohala Corp. v. State, 69 Haw. 54 (1987)
Kahuku Agr. Co. (Hawaii), Inc. v. P.R. Cassiday, Inc., 68 Haw. 625 (1986)
Hawaii Housing Authority v. Lyman, 68 Haw. 55 (1985)
THI-Hawaii, Inc. v. First Commerce Financial Corp., 627 F.2d 991 (9^th Cir. 1980)
McNamee v. Bishop Trust Co., Ltd., 62 Haw. 397 (1980)
Davis v. U.S., 589 F.2d 446 (9^th Cir. 1979)
Davis v. U.S., 411 F.Supp. 964 (D. Haw. 1976)
Federal Elec. Corp. v. Fasi, 56 Haw. 57 (1974)