Steven M. Nakashima brings the perspective of the judiciary to his career in employment and labor law. Prior to joining MJW as a partner in April 1999, he served as a Judge on the State of Hawaii District Court of the First Circuit from 1994 to 1999 and was the Lead Civil Judge and Chair of the District Court's Civil Rules and Forms Committee from two years, from 1997 to 1999. Prior to that, he was an attorney with the law firm of Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel for 13 years, and was a partner in the labor and employment section for six of those years. He served as the Chair of the Hawaii State Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education committee from 2001 through 2003.

Mr. Nakashima has represented employers in a wide range of federal and state litigation involving employment discrimination, including race, age, sex, sexual harassment, national origin, arrest and court record, and disability issues, as well as wrongful discharge claims. He also advises employers on issues such as employment procedures, wage and hour, dislocated workers, drug testing, handbooks, American with Disabilities Act compliance, and pregnancy and sexual orientation discrimination. He has extensive experience in advising and representing county governments in Fair Labor Standards Act litigation.

Mr. Nakashima was a law clerk with the late Honorable J. Blaine Anderson of the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and Willamette University College of Law.