Michael C. Bird

Partner

Michael Bird joined Watanabe Ing in 1992. Mr. Bird has earned a respected reputation among colleagues as an efficient and profoundly knowledgeable attorney in his fields of practice.

He has experience with all types of dispute resolution, including litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and appellate practice. Through his expertise, knowledge and unique abilities, Mr. Bird has successfully expanded his practice in several key crossover areas: construction, real estate, financial institutions and government contracting.

Mr. Bird’s litigation work has involved defending financial institutions in lender liability cases, such as successfully defending federal Truth in Lending Act claims and wrongful foreclosure actions in federal and state courts. Mr. Bird has prosecuted and defended numerous real estate quiet title actions.

He has also represented clients in construction litigation matters, including breach of contract, defective work and mechanic’s lien litigation. He has displayed his unique ability to be involved in construction legal matters from construction and design contract drafting to defect litigation, and everything in between.

Education
  • Santa Clara University, J.D., 1992
  • University of Hawaiʻi, B.A. in Political Science, 1987
Community Involvement
  • Master with the James S. Burns Aloha Chapter of the American Inns of Court
  • Coach of Punahou School’s Mock Trial Team (2015-2018)
Notable Cases
  • Velasco v. Sec. Nat. Mort. Co., 823 F.Supp.2d 1061 (2011), aff’d Velasco v. Sec. Nat. Mortgage Co., 508 F.App’x 679 (9th Cir. 2013) (Wrongful Foreclosure & Lender Liability Issues)
  • Young v. Bank of New York Mellon, 848 F.Supp.2d 1182 (2012) (Lender Liability Issues)
  • Skyline Zipline Global, LLC v. Domeck, 922 F.Supp.2d 1130 (2013) (Patent Infringement Issues)
  • 808 Development v. Murakami, 111 Hawaiʻi 349, 141 P.3d 996 (2006) (Construction and Mechanic’s Lien Issues)
  • Iwamoto v. Hironaga, 125 Hawaiʻi 251, 258 P.3d 948 (2011) (SDO) (Lender Liability and Quiet Title Issues)
  • Mount v. Apao, 139 Hawaiʻi 167 (2016) (Wrongful Foreclosure and Quiet Title Issues)
  • Southern Foods Group v. State of Hawaii, 89 Hawaii 443, 974 P.2d 1033 (1999) (Procurement & Responsive Bidding Issues)
  • Lynch v. Bank of New York Mellon, WL 3568667, (D. Haw. Aug. 15, 2017) (Wrongful Foreclosure and Bonafide Purchaser issues)