Our team

Experienced help with lots of heart

Yim & Yempuku (formerly known as Stephen Yim Estate Planning) has been selected to be included in The Best Lawyers In America editions in the field of Trust and Estates from 2010-2023.

Yim & Yempuku are committed to providing estate planning with the purpose of helping clients gain peace of mind. Our intention is to protect legacies and nurture relationships through preservation of our client’s life and beyond.

It is our pleasure to assist individuals and families manage and fulfill their life’s wishes with conviction, integrity and most of all, compassion.

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Stephen B. Yim, Esq., LL.M

As a senior partner at Yim & Yempuku, Stephen focuses primarily on estate planning, drafting wills and trusts, providing supplemental needs-planning for families of children with disabilities, advising on charitable giving for tax purposes, navigating estate and gift taxes, and administering estates.

A graduate of Punahou School, Stephen received his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Puget Sound, his law degree (J.D.) from Santa Clara University, and his masters of law degree in Taxation (LL.M) from the University of Denver, Graduate Tax Program. Prior to entering the private practice of law, Stephen worked as the Senior IRS estate and gift tax attorney in Honolulu. He also served as law clerk to Judge Daniel G. Heely, and as a Tax Associate with the Public Accounting Firm of Coopers & Lybrand.

Stephen served as an adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, the University of Hawaii Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Accounting Program, and Hawaii Pacific University Masters of Business Administration program where he taught estate planning, and estate and gift taxation. Stephen is currently attending Marian University and is a candidate for a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Thanatology.

He previously served as Chairman of the Estate Planning & Probate Section and the Estate & Gift Tax Committee of the Hawaii Bar Association, of which he remains an active member. He was also a board member and past president of Catholic Charities-Elderly Services, a board member of the ARC in Hawaii, and a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. Stephen regularly gives presentations and writes articles on estate planning and estate and gift taxation for the Hawaii Bar Association and other groups.

Stephen is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; a National organization of trust and estate lawyers and law professors who have been elected by their peers in recognition of having made outstanding contributions to the practice of estate and trust law.

Monica M.M. Yempuku, Esq.

As Managing Partner at Yim & Yempuku, Monica received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from University of Hawaii at Manoa and her Juris Doctor degree from William S. Richardson School of Law. A second generation attorney admitted to practice in 2020, she has worked alongside Stephen B. Yim for the past 18 years.

Monica’s specialized practice is in estate planning, including supplemental needs planning for families who have children with disabilities, as well as estate administration and probate. She is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association (“HSBA”), American Bar Association (“ABA”), and Hawaii Estate Planning Council (“HEPC”). Monica is also part of the Estate Planning Section of the HSBA, The Elder Law Section of the HSBA, and the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the ABA.

She remains an active member of the community and provides presentations to local healthcare and finance industries, with a focus on special needs groups like Queens Dental Clinic and Aging in Place Generations Magazine. You can find her assisting on her son’s sports teams, holding “spa days” with her daughter and chatting daily with her friends.

Christina Leos

Christina leads our estate planning paralegal team and has found great reward in helping clients through the planning process over the last four years. Though she graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Biology, she welcomes both trust and estate questions as well as marine life questions! Christina is currently enrolled in the University of Miami’s Paralegal Certificate course in Wills & Trusts. She spends her free time traveling and training for and participating in triathlons including the half Ironman in Kona.
Stacie Kauila

Stacie has been with the firm since 2016 and has recently been promoted to office manager. In addition to managing a vibrant team, Stacie continues her work as legal assistant in estate and trust administration. Stacie graduated from Kapiolani Community College with an Associate in Science Degree in Culinary Arts. She started her journey at the Willow’s restaurant and worked her way to Food Beverage Manager at a local hotel. After leaving the industry she joined the firm. Being a working mom of 5 kids, she balances her work life with family time outdoors at parks or at the beach.
Tylo Ajifu

In 2023, Tylo joined our firm and is currently undergoing training to provide support for our client services, working alongside Tamlyn. Prior to joining our team, she gained experience as a Registered Behavioral Technician/Education Assistant in the special needs department across multiple schools on the island. Tylo brings a cheerful and uplifting personality, as well as a strong commitment to assisting each client. During her free time, she cherishes quality time with her loved ones.
Tamlyn Tokuda

After graduating from the University of Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Anthropology, Tamlyn began her career as a legal assistant for a bankruptcy firm. In 2023, she made the move back to the islands and joined our team and is currently heading the client service area of our firm. During her downtime, she enjoys spending quality time with family and friends.
Aaron Hidaka

In 2017, Aaron began his career at our office as an intern and rejoined us full time in 2022 as an administrative assistant. After graduating from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance, he worked as a cash receipt analyst in Washington D.C. He now assists with our office funding recommendations and recordation of the real property documents. Outside the office, he enjoys a friendly round of golf, wheel throwing, and leisure photography.