Mr. Ishida continued his graduate academic study in the areas of law and business management at Northwestern University, where he simultaneously entered the renowned Northwestern University School of Law and the equally prestigious J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. In 1987, Mr. Ishida received both his Juris Doctor degree (J.D.) from the School of Law, and a Master of Management (M. Mgt.) from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He participated in the Julius H. Miner Moot Court Competition and was elected to the Julius H. Miner Moot Court Board in 1986. In addition, during his joint graduate study of law and business, Mr. Ishida continued his interest in scholastic and extracurricular activities, serving as an officer for a number of University-sanctioned associations.

Mr. Ishida was admitted to the bars of the States of Hawaii, in 1987, and Illinois in 1988, and the District of Columbia and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1989. He started his legal career in Honolulu by joining , a large and prominent state-wide law firm in 1987, and was made a partner to the firm in 1994. In 1995, Mr. Ishida became a counsel to a law firm formed of former colleagues specializing in business and commercial litigation. Throughout his legal career, Mr. Ishida has concentrated his area of practice in commercial, real property and business litigation, including business contract and commercial lease disputes, insurance coverage issues, environmental and intellectual property litigation, and construction defects and mechanics’ lien matters. Mr. Ishida has also specialized in matters on appeal, handling a significant number of appellate cases, by personally appearing and arguing before both the State of Hawaii and Federal appellate courts. Because of the nature of his practice, Mr. Ishida has been primarily responsible for injunctive actions in both State and Federal courts, arguing in favor of and defending against Temporary Restraining Orders and Preliminary Injunctions.

Because of his formal education and legal experience, Mr. Ishida currently focuses his practice in commercial and business matters including litigation. In addition to his vigorous representation of clients in pending litigation, Mr. Ishida is a proponent of alternative dispute resolution. He seeks cost-saving alternatives to resolving his clients’ legal matters both before the commencement of litigation, as well as evaluating the potential of settlement in actions after their submission to court.