Pacific-Asian Legal Studies

OVERVIEW

In keeping with Hawai‘i’s location, culture and history, the William S. Richardson School of Law has one of the most dynamic and comprehensive programs in Pacific-Asian Legal Studies (PALS) offered by an American ABA-accredited law school. Established in 1983, the PALS program has been a staple at the Law School.

Education, Research, and Scholarship

Pacific-Asian courses are increasingly important as American law practice has become ever more globalized. These courses continue to provide a comparative perspective on the U.S. legal system, which is valuable for all of our students. As part of the Law School’s commitment to PALS, PALS faculty are heavily involved in international issues across the Pacific and Asia–offering our law students unique opportunities to work within those arenas as well.

Real-World Experience

PALS actively supports students” participation in study abroad and externship opportunities in Asia and the Pacific as part of their course of study. PALS students have studied in Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Cambodia, Belau, and the Federated States of Micronesia, to name a few, where they have worked for a wide range of organizations, including judges’ offices, law firms, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Within the last few years, PALS students have completed externships with the following organizations: Cambodia Legal Aid, the United States Embassy in Japan, the Guam Judiciary, the American Samoa Judiciary, the Micronesian Judiciary, a United Nations office in Thailand, and various law firms in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Taipei, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Accessing Pacific and Asian Studies at Manoa

The University of Hawai‘i is deeply committed to its international programs, and the PALS program is supported by the following University’s excellent area centers websites:

The Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Organization (PALSO)

The Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Organization (PALSO) is a law student organization that regularly welcomes attorneys and academics for talks and lectures on a range of topics and hosts a number of social events that gathers the law school community to promote our common interests in Pacific and Asian cultures. Please reach out to PALSO by email if you are interested in joining.

“Our PALS program enjoys tremendous interest among our students, including many who come from the U.S. Mainland because of the program…Clearly they recognize the depth and quality of our PALS faculty. Also, with our physical proximity to the Pacific Islands and Asia, our students have the opportunities to interact with many visitors and to easily travel to those areas for externships and other career opportunities.”

Larry Foster, Professor and Dean Emeritus

Legal Resources

The Asian-Pacific Law and Policy Journal (APLPJ) is a web-based, American legal journal covering issues in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Our objectives are: to disseminate legal research by law professors, legal practitioners, social scientists, economists, and students; to increase awareness of legal issues impacting the region, and to provide a forum to discuss legal topics that fall within the Journal’s geographic scope. In addition to the web format, the journal is available through the legal database LexisNexis. APLPJ publishes articles, translations, book reviews, essays, case notes, and comments on current topics in comparative and transnational law focused on one or more of the following countries or geographic entities: Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macau Special Administrative Region), East Timor, Fiji, Hawai‘i, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, North Korea, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.

Read the latest Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Program e-newsletter [PDF, 1.9MB].

Certificates & Requirements

Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Certificate

The Pacific-Asian Legal Studies certificate candidates must fulfill course and procedural requirements before being awarded a Certificate upon graduation. The students are advised to consult with the PALS director and faculty during their 2L and 3L years to ensure they are on track to complete the certificate requirements. Certificate candidates need to submit the completed certificate form to the PALS director no later than 30 days before graduation.