Often called the “Aloha Lawyer”, Hawaii-based attorney, Jeanilou G.T. Maschhoff has a vast level of experience in business operations, finance, and development. Actively licensed in both Hawaii and California, she is able to assist clients with an array of civil litigation and transactional matters.
Jeanilou’s practice areas include business law, collections, entertainment and fashion law, trademark law, personal injury, civil rights, education law and estate planning. She has litigated numerous cases for large financial institutions and has drafted many contracts and agreements. As outsourced general counsel to many local businesses, she acts as a trusted advisor, business consultant, and advocate for small businesses, non-profit entities, and personal brands. She is passionate about amplifying female entrepreneurs and professionals in the entertainment, beauty, fashion, and fitness industries, using a holistic approach to address their multifaceted legal and business needs.
Driven by a dedication to social justice and the empowerment of marginalized communities, Jeanilou began her legal career in the non-profit sector, concentrating her efforts on access to justice and gender equity. At the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, she served as the Pro Bono Project Manager, charged with expanding private attorney involvement with pro bono cases and fundraising initiatives. Her purview extended to managing the organization's reputable accredited provider status for Continuing Legal Education credits in both California and Hawaii. Subsequently, as the Director of Finance and Operations at Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, she used her expertise to oversee fundraising endeavors, specialized projects, financial matters, accounting, and HR practices. In addition, she provided essential support to the Executive Director in advocating for legislative reform efforts.
Jeanilou also played an instrumental role in establishing the Office of Institutional Equity at the University of Hawaii. Her duties encompassed planning and coordination of system-wide training conferences, certification programs pertaining to Title IX, sexual and gender-based assault and discrimination, and providing logistical support for the Act 222 Legislative Task Force. Her commitment to charitable causes remains, as she actively pursues opportunities to align businesses with charitable missions, fostering a relationship that benefits both organizations and society at large.
Jeanilou has been an early pioneer of the virtual practice of law, providing invaluable guidance to law firms and solo practitioners in optimizing their operations and the seamless delivery of legal services across Hawaii and the mainland.
She has also embarked on the exploration of law and Web3 looking at the trajectory of the entertainment, beauty, fashion, and fitness industries within the framework of Web 3.0.
Jeanilou is an active member of the community at large and volunteers for a number of local causes and organizations. She currently serves as a Volunteer Arbitrator for the Hawaii Judiciary’s CAAP program and is in her third term as Secretary for the Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association. She is also a member of the Hawaii Business Law section, California Lawyers Association, National Police Accountability Project (NPAP) National Lawyers Guild and American Bar Association.