Cheryl L.M.T. Itagaki

Cheryl L.M.T. Itagaki is a partner at Cades Schutte LLP who focuses her practice on employee benefits, ERISA, and executive compensation. She counsels clients on the design, establishment, maintenance, and compliance of qualified retirement plans, providing tailored guidance that reflects both legal requirements and the business realities her clients face.

Cheryl earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting, with distinction, from the University of Hawai‘i Shidler College of Business. She went on to receive a Master of Business Taxation from the University of Southern California Leventhal School of Accounting. Cheryl later earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, graduating with a Certificate in Business Law.

While attending law school, Cheryl distinguished herself as a USC Law Merit Scholar and served as Production Editor of the Southern California Review of Law and Social Justice. She also externed for the Honorable Derrick H.M. Chan of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawai‘i, gaining valuable judicial experience.

Before entering the legal profession, Cheryl worked extensively in public accounting, both as an auditor for an international firm and as a tax accountant at a local firm. She previously held a Certified Public Accountant license in Hawai‘i, a credential that continues to strengthen her legal practice by adding financial expertise to complex employee benefits and executive compensation matters.

Cheryl L.M.T. Itagaki applies her combined accounting and legal expertise to help businesses navigate regulatory obligations and implement effective benefit programs. Her unique perspective, shaped by years in both accounting and law, allows her to deliver practical, results-oriented counsel that supports her clients’ growth and compliance needs.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Cades Schutte LLP
• Member, Hawaii State Bar Association (2015)
• Member, American Bar Association (2016)
• Member, Hawaii Estate Planning Council (2016)
• Member, The ESOP Association, Hawai‘i Chapter (2016)

Licensed State

• Hawaii

Education

• University of Southern California Gould School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Southern California Leventhal School of Accounting
  Master of Business Taxation (MBT)
• University of Hawai‘i Shidler College of Business
  Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

Awards & Badges