Administration

Litigation Division

The Office of the Corporation Counsel provides legal representation on behalf of the County of Hawaiʻi, its officers, representatives and employees in resolving disputes such as lawsuits, arbitration, mediation and claims, filed against the County of Hawaiʻi and its officers, representatives and employees.

• Lerisa L. Heroldt
• Michelle S. Ahn
• E. Britt Bailey
• Mark Disher
• Steven K. Idemoto
• Justin C. Lee
• Ryan Thomas

Counseling and Drafting Division

The Counseling and Drafting Division of the Office of the Corporation Counsel advises all departments, boards, agencies, and commissions on legal matters, which impact that particular County entity. The Division drafts appropriate legislation for consideration by the County Council or the State Legislature. The Division also provides legal representation on behalf of the County of Hawaiʻi in administrative proceedings, including contested case hearings and agency appeals.

• Diana Mellon-Lacey
• Jean Campbell
• Dakota Frenz
• Inha Kandatsu Kang
• Sinclair Salas-Ferguson
• Sherilyn Tavares
• Suzanna Tiapula
• Sylvia Wan
• Keyra Wong

Attorneys

Elizabeth A. Strance [she/her/hers] - Corporation Counsel

Ms. Strance is Corporation Counsel for the Office of Corporation Counsel.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Willamette University in Public Policy and Political Science. She received her Juris Doctor from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College.

Prior to joining the Office of Corporation Counsel, Ms. Strance worked in the public and private sectors. Her private practice work included alternative dispute resolution, litigation, and real estate matters. Ms. Strance’s public sector work was with the Hawai‘i Judiciary where she served as a circuit court judge presiding over civil and criminal cases. Prior to her appointment to circuit court, Ms. Strance served as a per diem judge where she presided in district and family courts.

Ms. Strance is a member of the Hawai‘i State Bar Association, and has been license to practice law in Hawai‘i since 1988.

J Yoshimoto - Assistant Corporation Counsel

Mr. Yoshimoto is the Assistant Corporation Counsel.

He graduated from Hilo High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law and has been licensed to practice law in Hawaiʻi since 1992.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Mr. Yoshimoto worked for the State of Hawaiʻi as a Deputy Attorney General in Hilo. He serves as an Arbitrator for the Court Annexed Arbitration Program and is a member of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and Hawaiʻi County Bar Association.

Lerisa L. Heroldt - Litigation Section Chief

She graduated from Punahou School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, where she graduated cum laude.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Ms. Heroldt was in private practice with the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd and Ing in Honolulu, where she handled all aspects of state and federal court litigation in areas such as business torts, class actions, constitutional and civil rights, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, employment law, personal injury, title defense and medical malpractice.

Ms. Heroldt has been licensed to practice in the State of Hawaiʻi since 2001. She is also admitted to appear before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi. She is a member of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and joined the West Hawaiʻi Bar Association in 2016.

Diana Mellon-Lacey - Counseling & Drafting Section Chief

Ms. Mellon-Lacey is the Section Chief of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz, Master’s Degrees in Anthropology and Public Health from University of California, Los Angeles, and a Juris Doctorate from University of Miami.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Ms. Mellon-Lacey worked for the State of Hawaiʻi as a Deputy Attorney General in the Family Law Division. Ms. Mellon-Lacey also worked for Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi in Hilo, where she served as managing attorney, Domestic Violence Clearinghouse on Maui, and Legal Services of the Florida Keys.

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Mellon-Lacey worked in county health administration in Florida, and at a federally funded community health center in North San Diego County in California.

Ms. Mellon-Lacey is a member of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association, and has been licensed to practice law in Hawaiʻi since 2003. She is also licensed to practice law in the State of Florida.

Michelle S. Ahn - Litigation Division

Michelle is a member of the Litigation Division.

E. Britt Bailey - Litigation Division

Britt is a member of the Litigation Division.

Britt holds a bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College, a master’s degree in Environmental Policy from Prescott College, and a Juris Doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, where she was a member of the Law Review. She also earned a Certificate in Environmental Law through the William S. Richardson’s School of Law’s Environmental Law Program.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Britt was a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawaiʻi. In addition, she was a law clerk for Third Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra. Prior to attending law school, Britt worked with non-profit organizations in northern California protecting both the health of the public and the environment from the effects of toxic substances.

Britt is a member of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and the West Hawaiʻi Bar Association. She has been licensed to practice law in Hawaiʻi since 2012. In addition, she is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Jean Campbell [she/her/hers] - Counseling & Drafting Division

Ms. Campbell is a member of the Counseling & Drafting Division.

Jean graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in English. She earned a Master of Arts degree from San Diego State University, also in English, and her Juris Doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law, at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa where she graduated cum laude. She has been licensed to practice law in the State of Hawai‘i since 2000.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Jean practiced transactional real estate law at Carlsmith Ball, Alston Hunt Floyd and Ing, and Bays Lung Rose and Voss, in Honolulu.

Mark Disher - Litigation Division

Mr. Disher is a member of the Litigation Division.

Mark D. Disher is a graduate of Lahainaluna High School. After high school he enlisted in the United States Navy and served on active duty for nine years as a Nuclear Field Electrician’s Mate having served on nuclear powered submarine USS Kamehameha (SSN 642) and at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. He continued to serve in the United States Navy Reserves for an additional 15 years until his retirement in 2020. While still on active duty he received his Bachelors of Science degree from Chaminade University of Honolulu in Criminal Justice with a Minor in History, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He received his Juris Doctorate from University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law in 2008. He has been licensed to practice law in the State of Hawai‘i since 2008 and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Hawai‘i.

Prior to joining the Office of Corporation Counsel, Mr. Disher was employed at the County of Hawai‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Dakota Frenz - Counseling & Drafting

Ms. Frenz is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

Dakota “Cody” Frenz is a graduate of Waiakea High School. She received her Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa in Political Science, and her Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School in Orange County, CA. She has been licensed to practice in the State of Hawaiʻi since 2006 and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Ms. Frenz was employed with the Judiciary as a Third Circuit Family Court Judge, Law Office of Dakota K Frenz, AAL, Laubach & Frenz, AAL, and at the County of Hawaiʻi Prosecutor’s Office.

Steven K. Idemoto - Litigation

Mr. Idemoto is a member of the Litigation Division.

Mr. Idemoto graduated from Hilo High School and earned Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Washington. He obtained a law degree from the University of Hawaiʻi William S. Richardson School of Law and an MBA from the University of Hawaiʻi Shidler College of Business.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Mr. Idemoto was a partner at the law firm of Clay Chapman Iwamura Pulice & Nervell in Honolulu. Before becoming an attorney, he worked in public policy as an analyst with the Washington State Legislature, Hawaiʻi State Legislature and the Economic Opportunity Institute, a Seattle-based think tank.

Mr. Idemoto was licensed to practice law in Hawaiʻi in 2008. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Collection Law Section of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association.

Inha Kandatsu Kang - Counseling & Drafting

Ms. Kandatsu Kang is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

Ms. Kandatsu Kang obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Jurisprudence from Montclair State University. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from The George Washington University Law School and is licensed to practice in the State of Hawaiʻi.

Justin C. Lee - Litigation

Mr. Lee is a member of the Litigation Division.

Mr. Lee is a graduate of Punahou School. He attended both the Annapolis and Santa Fe campuses of St. John’s College, and earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Liberal Arts, with equivalent majors in Philosophy and the History of Mathematics and Science, and minors in classical studies and comparative literature. He is a winner of the Walter S. Baird prize for excellence in the arts, literature, or sciences. He earned his Juris Doctor from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, where he was a member of the Asian-Pacific Law and Policy Journal and published an article relating to Native Hawaiian Land Tenure.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Mr. Lee was a Deputy Public Defender for the State of Hawai‘i, and a law clerk for the Honorable Greg K. Nakamura. He is a prior member of the Hawai‘i County Board of Appeals.

Sinclair Salas-Ferguson – Counseling & Drafting

Sinclair is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

He graduated from Hilo High School and then left the Big Island to obtain three degrees: a Bachelor of Arts from Utica College, a Juris Doctorate from William S. Richardson School of Law, and a Master of Business Administration from Shidler College of Business.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Sinclair worked in the following roles: private practice on Kauaʻi, Deputy County Attorney for the County of Kauaʻi, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Kauaʻi, law clerk for the Kauaʻi-Fifth Circuit Court, private practice in Honolulu, and law clerk for the Intermediate Court of Appeals.

Sinclair loves surfing, exercising, traveling, and spending time with his family and friends.

He was licensed to practice law in Hawaiʻi in 2010.

Sherilyn Tavares - Counseling & Drafting

Sherilyn “Sheri” Tavares is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

Sheri is a graduate of Waiakea High School, and she received her Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo in Sociology, Political Science, and Administration of Justice. Sheri earned her Juris Doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa where she also earned her certificate in Native Hawaiian Law. During law school, Sheri clerked for the Honorable David A. Ezra at the US District Court for the District of Hawai‘i, the Honorable Dexter Del Rosario in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit and served as a summer law clerk here in this office. Sheri also spent a summer in Washington D.C. as the Patsy T. Mink Fellow where she worked on legislation for then Congressman Neil Abercrombie.

Prior to returning to the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Sheri was a Public Defender for the State of Hawai‘i, and a Law Clerk for the Honorable Glenn S. Hara. She is also a lecturer at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo for the College of Business & Economics.

Sheri is a member of the Hawai‘i State Bar Association and serves as Treasurer for the Hawai‘i County Bar Association.

Ryan Thomas - Litigation

Mr. Thomas is a member of the Litigation Division.

He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Hawaii Campus. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina, where he was a member of the Men’s Volleyball team and team captain his senior season. He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Idaho. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Hawai‘i and before the United States District Court for the District of Hawai‘i.

Prior to joining the Office of Corporation Counsel, Ryan served as a law clerk for Judge Kubota of the Third Circuit Court in Hilo.

Suzanna Tiapula [she/hers] - Counseling & Drafting

Ms. Tiapula is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

She was born and raised in American Samoa, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech University and her Juris Doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law in 1996. She has been licensed to practice law in the State of Hawai‘i since 1996.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Ms. Tiapula served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawai‘i and for the City and County of Honolulu. She also served as an Assistant Attorney General in American Samoa handling primarily child maltreatment, sexual assault and domestic violence. When she served as the Director of the National District Attorneys Association’s National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse and NDAA’s Human Trafficking Programs, Ms. Tiapula supervised design and delivery of training and technical assistance to tens of thousands of prosecutors and allied front-line professionals each year.

Sylvia Wan - Counseling & Drafting

Ms. Wan is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

She graduated from Waiakea High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. She earned a Juris Doctorate from the William S. Richardson School of Law, at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. She has been licensed to practice law in the State of Hawai‘i since 2011 and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court of Hawai‘i, and United States Supreme Court.

Prior to joining the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Ms. Wan was employed at the County of Hawai‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Keyra Wong - Counseling & Drafting

Mrs. Wong is a member of the Counseling and Drafting Division.

She graduated from Kamehameha Schools, Kapalama Campus and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon. Mrs. Wong earned her Juris Doctor degree from Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon. During law school, she clerked in the appeals division for the County of Maui Department of Prosecuting Attorney, State of Oregon Appellate Commissioner’s Office, and Office of Clackamas County Counsel in Oregon City, Oregon, where she focused primarily on Real Estate and Land Use issues.

Prior to returning to the Office of the Corporation Counsel, Mrs. Wong worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawai‘i and most recently, as an associate attorney for the Law Offices of Yeh & Kim. She is licensed to practice law in Hawai‘i and Oregon (inactive) and is admitted to appear before the United States District Court of the District of Hawaii. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Travis, and her children, Kaimila and Tahj.

Private Secretary

Amy M. Bautista is the Private Secretary.

Mrs. Bautista is a graduate of Waianae High School and moved to Hilo in 2007.

Mrs. Bautista began her career in the legal field at Kobayashi Sugita & Goda (on Oahu) as a receptionist and advanced with the firm up to Legal Secretary. Upon moving to Hilo, she held the position of Legal Assistant to a Senior Partner at the law firm of Crudele & DeLima before joining the County of Hawaiʻi in 2015 with the Office of Corporation Counsel as a Legal Clerk III. Quickly promoted to a Legal Technician I, Mrs. Bautista departed the Office of the Corporation Counsel to join the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) in December 2016 as their Private Secretary. Mrs. Bautista returned to the Office of Corporation Counsel in December 2020 and is humbled to serve this County and her office.