Irons, Gib

After joining Watanabe Ing LLP in 1976, J. Douglas Ing became a partner in 1981 and assumed the role of managing partner in 2005. Mr. Ing's practice focuses on government and regulatory law and litigation and he represents clients before state and federal agencies as well as state and federal courts.  For the past twenty-five years, Mr. Ing has worked on a variety of projects seeking land use, zoning, and other regulatory approvals from state and county agencies.  These have included major destination resorts and hotels on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, and Oahu.  Other entitlement projects of note have involved large telescopes, a major landfill, a large quarrying operation, an ocean based fish farm, a university campus with surrounding commercial and residential development, and a large urban redevelopment project.  

In the context of Hawaii's complex and highly centralized regulatory structure, Mr. Ing provides strategic guidance to clients from project inception to final build-out, frequently facilitating water, wastewater, and transportation improvements and the acquisition of related infrastructure permits.

As competition for Hawaii's lands and resources increases, an important component of Mr. Ing's practice now includes regulatory due diligence and litigation risk management.  Occasionally, environmental compliance or regulatory approvals are challenged in court, and the Government & Regulatory Affairs practice group led by Mr. Ing is experienced in defending and resolving such challenges.

In addition to broad regulatory experience and success in land use entitlements, Mr. Ing has represented telecommunication, transportation, and utility companies before the Hawaii Public Utility Commission in certification, acquisition, and rate-making proceedings.   

In November 2000, Mr. Ing was selected and appointed one of five Trustees for the Bernice P. Bishop Estate, known as the Kamehameha Schools, a multi-billion dollar trust.  His service as Trustee commenced in 2001, but he has continued his very active law practice.

By gubernatorial appointment in 1981, Mr. Ing became a member of the Board of Land and Natural Resources for the State of Hawaii.  His continuing service in this capacity until 1989 contributed to the management of all public lands, water and mineral resources, state parks, historical sites, forest reserves, and wildlife.  By similar appointment in 1993, Mr. Ing became a member of the Commission on Water Resource Management, which regulates the state's ground and surface waters, for a period of two years.  In his five years of military service, Mr. Ing qualified to operate nuclear powered submarines and received the U.S. Navy Achievement Medal.  

Mr. Ing has held an "av" rating from Martindale-Hubbell for over twenty-five years, and is recognized in Super Lawyers and Chambers USA for his expertise in land use and regulatory law.

A member of the American Bar Association and the Hawaii Bar Association, Mr. Ing has also been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.