Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 6, 1 June 2015 — 11 law students graduate with certificates in Native Hawaiian Law [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

11 law students graduate with certificates in Native Hawaiian Law

Contributed by Ka Huli Ao staff On Sunday, May 17, 2015, the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's WilliamS. Richardson School of Law hosted its 40th annual commencement, where 1 1 students graduated with a certificate specializing in Native Hawaiian Law. Since its ineephon in 2005, Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law has offered courses in Native Hawaiian Law as well as this unique specialization, whieh trains advocates to better serve the larger community and the needs of Native Hawaiians in particular. Certificate students must successfully complete courses that range fromNative Hawaiian Rights to Administrative Law. Clinical work and a writing component are also required. Certificate recipient Brent Wilson explained: "To me, Ka Huli Ao, through its classes, elinics and professors, instills both a deeper knowledge of the cultural origins of our state's legal system and profound respect for the unique relationship traditional and customary rights have within this system - adding so mueh more to our future practice of law." Another graduate - Khara Jabola Carolus - elaborated on her law school experience: "When I moved to Hawai'i three years ago, I only had a vague understanding of Native Hawaiian struggles. Ka Huli Ao's program means that I (now) have a solid foundation in legal history and resistance specific to Native Hawaiians. I strongly believe that the Native Hawaiian Law Certificate program should be a requirement for all lawyers who seek to practice in Hawai'i." Three students, Ka'ili Akina, Matt Ka'aihue and Jordan Inafuku, also participated on the Law School's

Native American Moot Court team, with Inafuku placing first as Best Oralist in the national competition held in Arizona earlier this year. Inafuku, who won a writing award for his Second-Year Seminar paper on Kaho'olawe, credits his experienee on Kaho'olawe as connecting his academic journey with his journey as a Native Hawaiian. Ka Huli Ao's 2015 certificate recipients will be serving our eommunity in a range of capacities, from the nonprofit sector to large law firms, small law firms, and as clerks for judges in Hawai'i's first and second circuit courts. Since 2007, 77 students have graduated from Richardson specializing in Native Hawaiian Law. From 2007-2009, 11 students graduated with a Pacific-Asian Legal Studies certificate with a specialization in

Native Hawaiian Law. Since 2010, 65 students have graduated with a standalone Native Hawaiian Law certificate. Kau'i Pratt explained that her journey to law school started with Ka Huli Ao's LSAT preparation class and community outreach program as well as the Law School's evening program. "Without these programs," she said, "I would not have had the opportunity to attend law school." Keani Rawlins-Fer-nandez also took the LSAT prep class and described it as "extremely effective and affordable." RawlinsFernandez felt that being involved with Ka Huli Ao "meant that I didn't have to wait until after graduating to contribute to my community

in meaningful ways. Ka Huli Ao offered clinics that allowed me to provide educational opportunities (for) the community while attending law school. Mahalo to OHA for providing funding to our elinie to conduct community workshops." Melody Kapilialoha MaeKenzie, Ka Huli Ao's director, noted: "We are very proud of our graduates. They are contributing to the community in many different ways and we know that they are fulfilling Chief Justice Richardson's vision of seeking justice forNative Hawaiians and all of Hawaii's people." ■

Ka Huīi Ao Centerfor ExceHence in Native Hawaiian Law promotes education, scholarship, community outreach and coHaboration on issues oflaw, euhwe and justi.ee for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific and Indigenous peoples.

FULFILLING CHIEF JUSTICE RICHARDSON'S VISION OF JUSTICE:

Native Hawaiian Law Certificate graduates are, back row from left: Matthew Ka'aihue, 'Olu Campbell, Jordan lnafuku, Alan Akao, Brent Wilson and Shauna Kahiapo. Front row, from left: Ka'ili Akina, Kau'i Pratt, Khara Jabola-Carolus and Keani Rawlins-Fer-nandez. Missing is Nieole 0'Kief. - Courtesy: KaHuliAo