Mr. Murakami practices in the firm's Business-Commercial Law, Dispute Resolution and Real Estate & Construction practice groups. Mark was the Valedictorian of the Class of 1999 from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii where he served as Articles Editor of the University of Hawaii Law Review. He has received numerous academic awards, including: Dean’s Scholar; Porter Scholastic Award (2 times); Awards for highest grade in Property I, Torts I, Contracts I, Corporations, and Professional Responsibility; Kono Award for Academic Achievement; Phi Delta Phi Professional Responsibility Award; HSBA Real Property and Financial Services Section Award.

Mark is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. He served for 13 years on active duty before joining the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve in 2005. During his time on active duty, he served on three different Coast Guard cutters, including command of a patrol boat in California. Twice nominated for the American Bar Association’s Military Lawyer of the Year Award, he spent four years assigned to the Fourteenth Coast Guard District Legal Office prosecuting courts-martial, litigating cases in federal court as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and advising Coast Guard officials on maritime, criminal, environmental and international law issues. He has been awarded two Coast Guard Commendation Medals and three Coast Guard Achievement Medals.

Mark was born on Maui and raised in Kailua, Oahu. He is a graduate of Kailua High School and was active in the Castle Performing Arts Center. He is married to Kimberly A. Murakami and has one son, Tyler.

Highlights of his experience:

Litigation:

Represents businesses and landowners in complex commercial litigation, insurance coverage suits, land use and environmental lawsuits, and admiralty cargo damage actions.
Handles trust and decedent affairs, real property issues, insurance and other business disputes.
Represent citizens and businesses in suits against County governments for land use and environmental disputes.
Defend business and individuals being sued in Hawaii courts for various breaches of contract and torts.
Represent construction companies and other businesses in disputes with their insurance companies.
Represents persons injured in maritime or boating accidents.
Conduct pretrial litigation, alternative dispute resolution over real estate sales contracts, leases, environmental disputes, homeowner's association disputes, nuisance, trespass, zoning, equitable trust distribution, construction disputes and insurance coverage issues.
Negotiate settlements of existing lawsuits and pre-complaint demands.
Conduct trials when settlement efforts fail to resolve disputes.

Business Advice

Assist businesses by providing legal advice on various corporate matters, including contract and lease issues, governmental affairs, insurance, litigation, land use and enviromental issues.
Advise clients about Coast Guard documentation laws, vessel ownership and operations.

Trusts and Estate Administration:

Represent and provide advice to Trustees of private trusts regarding winding up, distributions, accountings and fiduciary duties.

International and Domestic Ocean Law:

Conducted comprehensive survey of Thailand counter-narcotics laws and law enforcement efforts and international negotiation with Thai officials for U.S. Department of Defense.
Formerly provided advice to Coast Guard and other federal officials about Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act of 1990, other environmental statutes relating to maritime trade.
Formerly directed investigations into allegations of pollution from cruise ships and commercial vessels including bringing criminal charges for fraud and oil pollution.

U.S. Coast Guard:

Developed novel theory of international criminal jurisdiction to arrest and prosecute mariner on foreign vessel who murdered two shipmates and controlled the vessel for several days before being brought to U.S. Directed complex, multi-agency criminal investigation with contested material witness depositions in Mandarin.
Represented U.S. Coast Guard in admiralty litigation stemming from allegations of negligent search and rescue operations.
Formerly prosecuted merchant mariners for assault and other violent crimes.
Formerly prosecuted military members for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including domestic violence, larceny, drug crimes, fraud, computer crimes and military offenses.
Brought suit to enforce military member's rights under the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act.
Advised Coast Guard officials on maritime security law issues, including Trading with the Enemy Act. 

Professional & Community Affiliations

Maritime Law Association of the United States
American Bar Association
Hawaii State Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Section
U.S. Naval Institute
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association
The Army Navy Club
Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline (1999-2003)
American Inn of Courts Aloha Chapter (1997-2003)