At Hawaii Governor Josh Green’s recommendation, health care executive Anne Lopez (D) assumed the role of the state’s next attorney general on December 5. AG Lopez succeeds Acting AG Holly Shikada and will serve a five-year term, ending in 2026.

Before her AG appointment, AG Lopez served as CEO and general counsel for Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (2015-2022), as a special assistant to former Hawaii AG David Louie (2013-2015), and as an attorney for Chun Kerr Dodd Beaman & Wong (2004-2012). She earned her J.D. from the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law (summa cum laude) and her B.S. from San Jose State University.

As part of the governor’s core leadership team, AG Lopez plans to leverage her professional experience and education to tackle two critical issues in the Green administration’s developing agenda — access to health care and affordable housing. AG Lopez told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “I want to serve [the Hawaii AG office] and ensure it enforces the laws of the state, is transparent in all of its work, and the residents of Hawaii benefit from our commitment and our commitment to public service.”

Why This Matters

AG Lopez says she will continue Hawaii’s tradition to effectively confront the state’s legal challenges with the necessary experience, values, and passion to promote the best interest of Hawaii and its citizens.

Troutman Pepper State Attorneys General Team

	Ashley Taylor – Co-leader and Firm Vice Chair Ashley is a partner in the firm’s Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group and co-leader of the State Attorneys General practice. He focuses primarily on federal and state government regulatory and enforcement matters involving state attorneys general, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Drawing upon his experience as a deputy attorney general, Ashley has developed an extensive consumer practice with regard to the consumer financial services industry.
	Clay Friedman – Co-leader Clay is a partner in the firm’s Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group and co-leader of the State Attorneys General practice. Informed by nearly a decade in a state attorneys general office, and more than 25 years in private practice, Clay spends much of his time representing clients in singular or multistate regulatory actions. Clay has repeatedly led teams before all 50 state attorneys general and also handles matters with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and other local, state and federal agencies.
	Stephen Piepgrass Stephen represents clients interacting with, and being investigated by, state attorneys general and other enforcement bodies, including the CFPB and FTC, as well as clients involved with litigation, particularly in heavily regulated industries.
	Michael Yaghi Michael handles high-profile state attorneys general, FTC, and CFPB investigations by advising clients through these complex government inquiries. He assists clients through the entire life cycle of investigations, from regulatory enforcement through formal litigation.
	Ketan Bhirud As a former government official at the state and federal level, Ketan leverages extensive experience in the public and private sectors to skillfully represent client interests.
	Avi Schick A former deputy attorney general of New York, Avi applies his experience in bet-the-company matters, representing clients in criminal and civil investigations and enforcement actions before state and federal regulators, prosecutors and enforcement agencies.
	Chris Carlson Chris represents clients in regulatory, civil and criminal investigations and litigation. In his practice, Chris regularly employs his prior regulatory experience to benefit clients who are interacting with and being investigated by state attorneys general.
	Natalia Jacobo Natalia is an associate in the firm’s business litigation practice. She recently received her J.D from the University of California, Davis School of Law.
	Namrata Kang Namrata is an associate in the firm’s Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group, based in the Washington, D.C. office. Her work includes advising clients in regulatory investigations and compliance matters, in addition to representing clients in civil litigation matters.
	Whitney Shepard Whitney is an attorney in the firm’s Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group. She represents clients facing state and federal regulatory investigations and enforcement actions, as well as related civil litigation.
	Stephanie Kozol Stephanie is Troutman Pepper’s senior government relations manager in the state attorneys general department.