Overview
Vincent has spent his professional career representing businesses, lenders, mortgage servicers, community associations, and government entities in complex legal matters across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. His practice focuses on real property transactions, land use and entitlement, corporate matters and contract negotiation. Vincent guides clients through the legal work required to acquire, develop, finance, and operate real property, along with the corporate structures that support those projects.
His land use experience extends to guiding landowners and developers through entitlement, permitting, and conservation district compliance before the state and county agencies that oversee land in Hawaiʻi. Earlier in his career, Vincent built a substantial foreclosure and creditor's rights practice, representing lenders and community associations in judicial foreclosure actions, title curative matters, and covenant enforcement, giving him a deep understanding of real property law from both the transactional and litigation sides.
Before entering private practice in Hawaiʻi, Vincent served as Chief Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division for the American Samoa Government. In that role, he provided legal counsel to 30 government agencies and negotiated significant government contracts, including the territory's first purchase of privately owned land. He began his legal career in private practice in Samoa, advising banks, telecommunications companies, and other regional businesses on corporate, real estate, and securities matters.
Representative Matters & Transactions
- Advises landowners and developers on land use entitlement, conservation district compliance, and state and county regulatory approvals.
- Structures and negotiates real estate transactions, including purchase and sale agreements, commercial mortgages, and easement and access rights.
- Counsels businesses on corporate formation, asset purchase agreements, franchise compliance, and general corporate governance matters.
- Represents lenders, mortgage servicers, and community associations in contested and uncontested judicial foreclosure actions throughout Hawaiʻi.
- Advises clients on drafting and revising Homeowner Association governing documents to comply with evolving Hawaiʻi law.
- Negotiates and finalizes complex commercial contracts, including multimillion-dollar land acquisitions and infrastructure agreements.
- Brings international legal experience from private and government practice in the Pacific, advising banks, telecommunications companies, and multinational clients on corporate, real estate, and securities matters.
Credentials
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi (2009)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi (2009)
- Supreme Court of Samoa (Inactive)
- High Court of American Samoa (Inactive)
Memberships
- Director at Large, Pacific Islander Legal Association (2018-Present) · Founding Member
- Vice President, American Samoa Bar Association (2012-2013)
- Member, Executive Council of the Samoa Law Society (2010-2011)
Education
- J.D. 2009 — William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- B.A. 2004 — University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo; Political Science and Administration of Justice
