University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

Published: 02/05/26

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Richardson Law Hosts Sixth Annual Business Boot Camp

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi (Feb. 5, 2026) — The William S. Richardson School of Law hosted the sixth annual Business Boot Camp (BBC VI), a two-day program designed to introduce law students to core business law concepts and the business of legal practice. Over eleven sessions, students learned from academics and legal, financial, and business professionals from Hawaiʻi and beyond, strengthening their financial literacy and commercial law foundations.

For the second year in a row, the Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law (IAPBL) offered Business Boot Camp via Zoom to Richardson’s Online JD Flex program students. This year also marked the first time IAPBL included speakers presenting remotely. In total, 128 participants attended BBC VI over the two days, including 43 Richardson Law students (in person and via Zoom), 74 attendees from Ohio Northern University, nine from the National University of Singapore, and two additional participants.

Program Leadership and Organization

Business Boot Camp is an initiative promoted by Dean Camille Nelson. The program was led by Professor Charles D. Booth, Director of the co-sponsoring Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law, with organizational support from Professor Garrett I. Halydier, IAPBL Deputy Director and Assistant Professor at Ohio Northern University’s Pettit College of Law.

Professors Booth and Halydier hosted and moderated the non-panel sessions. Professional panels were moderated by Professors Booth, Halydier, and Rob Robinson of the Shidler College of Business.

Dean Nelson opened BBC VI by welcoming students and emphasizing the importance of business law in legal practice, noting that even students planning to work in nonprofit or public interest law benefit from understanding financial statements and business fundamentals.

Core Learning Themes and Sessions
Business and Financial Literacy Foundations

Professor Booth introduced students to basic financial concepts and discussed how law students can develop financial and business literacy alongside essential commercial skill sets.

Ms. Lauren Sharkey (Case Lombardi) and Professor Halydier guided students through reading balance sheets, cash flow statements, and financial statements.

Bankruptcy and Consumer Finance

The Honorable Robert J. Faris (via Zoom) led two sessions. The first focused on credit card debt, while the second introduced bankruptcy concepts under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, including discussion of discharging student loans in bankruptcy.

Taxation and Business Associations

Professors Nicholas A. Mirkay and Justin D. Levinson discussed basic taxation principles and business association structures that lawyers must consider when advising new businesses.

Credit Risk and Corporate Distress

Professor Emeritus Ed Altman of NYU Stern School of Business and the Salomon Center for the Study of Financial Institutions presented “The Evolution of Credit Risk Models to Predict Corporate Distress.”

Commercial Real Estate Transactions

Ms. Andrea K. Ushijima (Cades Schutte LLP) discussed commercial real estate acquisitions and financing from the perspectives of borrowers and lenders. She walked students through the process of acquiring property for a mixed-use condominium development and financing both acquisition and construction.

Richardson Law Business Curriculum and Faculty

Professor Booth provided an overview of Richardson Law’s business law curriculum and introduced faculty members who discussed their business experience, research interests, and upcoming courses. Participating faculty included:

  • Professor Alina Ng Boyte
  • Professor Eduardo Capulong
  • Professor Richard C. Chen
  • Professor Mark A. Levin
  • Professor Justin D. Levinson
  • Professor Nicholas A. Mirkay
  • Professor Richard Wallsgrove
  • Professor Garrett I. Halydier

Professor Aamir Abdullah also reviewed the Law Library’s business law research resources available to students.

Professional Panels
Lawyers’ Panel: War Stories and the Business of Law

Moderated by Professor Booth, this panel explored how law firms operate and grow, what makes a strong associate, the realities of practicing law in Hawaiʻi, and why business law knowledge matters even in public interest work.

Panelists included:

  • Sherry Broder (Sherry P. Broder, A Law Corporation)
  • Alex Chun (Assistant General Counsel, Hawaiʻi Gas)
  • Sabrina Gouveia (McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP)
  • Lea Hong (Vice-President and Hawaiian Islands State Director, Trust for Public Land)
  • William Kaneko (Dentons US LLP)
  • Lauren Onaka (Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher)
Finance and Funds Panel

Moderated by Professor Rob Robinson, this panel examined finance and investment perspectives relevant to legal practice.

Panelists included:

  • Alan M. Klein (Simpson Thacher, New York City) (via Zoom)
  • Brandon H. P. Lin (SMA Capital Q+ Technology hedge fund)
  • David J. Sorkin (formerly KKR & Co., New York City) (via Zoom)
Corporate Attorneys and Big Deals Panel

Moderated by Professor Halydier, this panel helped students understand the broader business context of legal decision-making and the lawyer’s role in complex transactions.

Panelists included:

  • Ellen Eichberg (Legal Practitioner, Germany)
  • Thomas Kim (Gartner, Inc.) (via Zoom)
  • Nicole Kuchera (Rimon Law)
  • Curtis Leong (Hawaiʻi Foodbank, Inc.)
  • Tracey Lesetar-Smith (TLSK Advisory) (via Zoom)
  • Eric M. Van Horn (Spencer Fane LLP)
Student Engagement and Community

On Friday evening, students, speakers, and guests gathered for a Pau Hana networking event. The Richardson School of Law Library graciously hosted the gathering.

Event Support and Acknowledgments

Business Boot Camp VI would not have been possible without the support of Richardson Law’s Events Office, led by Anne Sumangil, and Richardson Tech Support, led by Steven Park. Additional thanks go to Melissa Korta, Director of Special Projects, for coordinating parking logistics.

Special appreciation is also extended to IAPBL business law student Anthony Caliano ’26 for his assistance before and throughout the event.

Sponsors

BBC VI was made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:

  • Pettit Law Hawaiʻi LLLC
  • Cades Schutte
  • Trust for Public Land (provided by Ms. Lea Hong)
  • Dentons
  • Sherry P. Broder, Esq.
  • Spencer Fane
  • Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher, A Law Corporation
  • Case Lombardi, A Law Corporation

Speaker biographies and the full program are available here.

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