Richardson Alumna Sabrina McKenna ‘82 Becomes Acting Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi (Oct. 2, 2025) — On October 1, 2025, Justice Sabrina S. McKenna ’82 assumed the role of Acting Chief Justice of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, becoming the first Richardson Law graduate to serve on the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court as its Acting Chief Justice. Her appointment marks a historic milestone for both the Judiciary and the William S. Richardson School of Law.

This summer, we had the privilege of sitting down with Justice McKenna to reflect on her journey, from her beginnings on the basketball court to her groundbreaking career on the bench, and the values that continue to guide her as a Richardson lawyer.

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Justice Sabrina S. McKenna ‘82 is a household name in many parts of the state of Hawaiʻi and a respected figure in the broader legal community. As the first openly gay woman serving on the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, McKenna never expected, as a child, that she would one day pursue a career in the law. After moving from Japan to Hawaiʻi in 1974 and participating in the Wahine Basketball team, she received a scholarship to support her education. This was made possible through the 1972 Title IX law, which prohibited sex discrimination in education and other activities that received U.S. federal funding.

Before Title IX was signed into law in 1972, an athletics program for women was essentially nonexistent at the University of Hawaiʻi. That landmark legislation, co-authored by Hawaiʻi Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink, opened doors for women nationwide. At UH, the late Dr. Donnis Thompson, who became the university’s first Director of Women’s Athletics, quickly expanded opportunities by launching women’s volleyball and track teams in the semester following the law’s passage, and later adding basketball. “I realized the power of the law to effectuate social justice,” McKenna shared.

Once she learned that Marilyn Moniz, the first female athlete from UH to receive the Jack Bonham student athlete award, was enrolling in law school, she recalled thinking to herself, “Wow! Athletes can go to law school?” Another inspiration for McKenna was Kent Keith, alumnus of the William S. Richardson School of Law, who knew her personally and encouraged her to consider law school. These experiences inspired a young Sabrina to pursue a legal education and ultimately graduate with a J.D. from Richardson Law in 1982.

Her experience teaching at the law school post-graduation in 1991 allowed her to come out as gay fully. At the time, Hawaiʻi was one of the few U.S. states to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, making the process of coming out much more comfortable. Even working as a lawyer and teaching at Richardson supported her deeply personal journey. “It really was the sense of social justice, the sense of diversity and inclusion at the law school that I think made me much more comfortable coming out,” she said.

McKenna is also an alumna who takes pride in having personally known and met the founder of the Hawaiʻi law school—the late Chief Justice William S. Richardson. She smiled as she recalled the moment he sat across from her at an event. “He was the most warm, humble, kind man with so much aloha. He took an interest in us, but he was so humble,” she shared.

“I couldn’t believe that the Chief Justice of the state of Hawaiʻi had come to sit across from me at a school event and took real interest in myself and my classmates.” McKenna credits Richardson for being a mentor not just to her but also to her classmates. What really sets a Richardson lawyer apart from other lawyers around the world, she said, is that you “treat people that you disagree with with aloha,” something she learned from Richardson himself. She underscored the impact of treating people kindly and with a smile—“instead of being antagonistic.”

“The sense of standing up for the little person, the sense of standing up for Native Hawaiian rights, and a sense of standing up for people that don’t have power—that all goes into being a Richardson lawyer, and that is what’s so special about the law school.”

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To watch our full video interview with Chief Justice Sabrina McKenna ’82, click here.

McKenna’s appointment follows the conclusion of Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald’s distinguished service. Read more about his legacy and partnership with Richardson Law here.

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About William S. Richardson School of Law

The William S. Richardson School of Law is a collaborative, multicultural community preparing students for excellence in the practice of law and related careers that advance justice and the rule of law. We develop highly qualified, ethical professionals through excellence in teaching, scholarship, and public service. We embrace Hawai‘i’s diversity and values and recognize a special responsibility to our state and the Pacific region.

MEDIA CONTACT

Collin Cedotal, Public Information Specialist
(808) 956-9391 | ccedotal@hawaii.edu