Sarah M. Love

Sarah Love is a Partner at Lung Rose Voss Wagnild. Her areas of practice include counseling clients and litigating disputes involving construction, procurement, insurance coverage and defense, real estate, employment, and complex commercial issues. In 2016, Ms. Love was recognized by Pacific Business News as one of its 40 Under 40 for her business and community leadership in Hawai'i. A sample of Ms. Love's work includes:

Construction Litigation

• Represented prominent Hawai'i developer in a class action litigation alleging construction defects and statutory non-disclosure in the design and sale of the unit in large scale residential subdivision. The class action was settled for significantly less than originally demanded.
• Represented a general contractor in a mechanic’s lien action proceeding to a probable cause hearing resulting in the award of a lien in favor of the general contractor in excess of $20 million dollars.
• Represented homeowners on construction defect and project mismanagement claims against the general contractor.  Arbitration award obtained in favor of clients.
• Represented developer of luxury condominium project against construction defect claims asserted by the condominium association.  Case resolved in early mediation.
• Represented a general contractor in a negligence and breach of contract claims against a subcontractor for various construction defects.  Case settled favorably prior to arbitration.
• Represented Hawai'i architecture firm on design professional negligence claims. Case settled out of Court prior to trial.
• Represented supply house surety on claims made by owners on payment and performance bonds.  Matters resolved out of Court.
• Represented general contractor and developer on insurance coverage disputes. Cases resolved out of Court resulting in the existence of coverage for the clients.

Procurement Disputes

• Represented multiple property management companies in procurement disputes with the State of Hawai'i over the award of property management contracts, with the matters being settled favorably to the clients prior to administrative hearing.
• Represented property management company in procurement dispute with the State of Hawai'i, which proceeded to an administrative hearing with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs resulting in an award in favor of the property management company.

Real Estate Litigation

• Represented escrow company against claims by luxury condominium owners for violation of Hawaii's Condominium Property Act and failure to properly disburse escrow funds. Case settled out of Court.
• Represented homeowners on claims against an Association of Apartment Owners for failure to comply with its obligations under the Association's governing documents to repair and maintain the common elements of the homeowner's unit. Case settled out of Court.
• Represented purchaser who lost her initial deposit to seller on negligence claims against real estate broker and brokerage firm. Case settled out of Court.
• Represented purchaser on claims against luxury condominium project developer in order to rescind Sales Contract. Case settled out of Court.

Complex Commercial Litigation

• Represented estates of decedents and surviving family members of a multiple car accident asserting claims of medical malpractice, negligent roadway design, and strict product liability. Case settled on the eve of a four week jury trial in the United States District Court of the District of Hawai'i.

Employment Litigation

• Represented employers in defense of retaliatory and wrongful termination claims, discrimination and harassment claims and Hawai'i Civil Rights Commission complaints.

Ms. Love is also active in the community.  She is a Board Member of the Building Association of Hawaii and a Board Member of the Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen. She is also a frequent lecturer at professional seminars for those in the construction industry.

Ms. Love is a graduate of DePauw University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Hawai'i, William S. Richardson School of Law, where she was a published writer for the University of Hawai'i Law Review. While in law school, Ms. Love also interned with the Honorable Karl K. Sakamoto and the Honorable Michael A. Town (ret.), of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawai'i.

Classes/Seminars

• Mechanic’s Liens 101 (Associated Builders and Contractors, Hawaii Chapter 2015)Classes/Seminars
• Fundamentals of Construction Contracts in Hawaii: Understanding the Issues (Lorman Education Services 2014)
• Public Contracts and Procurement Regulations (Lorman Education Services, 2013 & 2014)
• Construction From Start to Finish: A Practical Overview of Construction Contracts and the Construction Process" (Lorman Education Services, 2013)
• Construction Contracts: From A to Z (Lorman Education Services, 2012)
• Construction Defect Litigation: From A to Z (National Business Institute, 2012)

Published Works

• Author, “Extending Loss of Consortium to Reciprocal Beneficiaries: Breaking the Illogical Boundary Between Severe Injury and Death in Hawaii Tort Law”, U. Haw. L. Review 28 U. Haw. L. Rev. 429

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Hawaii State Bar Association, 2006
• American Bar Association, 2006
• CAAP Arbitrator, 2011
• Building Industry Association, 2014
• Susan G. Komen Hawaii Affiliate, 2013