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Student Handbook

Student Organizations

ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC INTEREST LAW (APIL)

Advocates for Public Interest Law is an organization within the Hawai’i legal community whose purpose is to encourage public interest legal work. APIL began with a gift from the 1985 graduating class of the University of Hawai’i’s William S. Richardson School of Law.

Today, through its fund-raising activities APIL is able to award several grants each spring to Hawai‘i law students, enabling them to intern with various public interest organizations during their summer recess. The goal of this program is to provide legal services to underrepresented groups in the community, while providing valuable training and experience to each of our grantees.

APIL also aims to raise the consciousness of Hawai‘i’s law students and the entire legal community regarding public interest law.

APIL consists of an all-student group at the William S. Richardson School of Law, and a community group headed by a board of directors composed of attorneys, students, and other members of the Hawai’i legal community.

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AHAHUI O HAWAIʻI ADVOCATES FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN JUSTICE

ʻAhahui o Hawaiʻi Advocates for Native Hawaiian Justice (aka the Hui) is the Native Hawaiian Law Student Organization at the William S. Richardson School of Law. The Hui, founded in 1973, is the oldest student organization at the Law School. The Hui raises significant issues of concern to Native Hawaiians at the Law School and in the community.

The Hui’s mission is “to accept and fulfill our kuleana by providing a safe and respectful forum to discuss issues from a Hawaiian perspective in a way that is pono.”

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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION – LAW STUDENT DIVISION

“The Mission of the American Bar Association is to be the national representative of the legal profession, serving the public and the profession by promoting justice, professional excellence and respect for the law.”

Student Leaders

AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY FOR LAW AND POLICY (ACS)

American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS) is a national organization that believes that law should be a force to improve the lives of all people. The mission of ACS is to harness the values of compassion and respect for each individual, and to re-incorporate them into American law and politics, in order to build a stronger and more decent national community. ACS strives for positive change by shaping debate on important legal and constitutional issues through development and promotion of high-impact ideas to opinion leaders and the media; and by building networks of lawyers, law students, judges and policymakers dedicated to those ideas.

The ACS student chapter of William S. Richardson School of law seeks to embrace the goals and values of ACS as they pertain to the law school, the University of Hawaii and the local community at large. By bringing together powerful, relevant ideas and passionate, talented people, ACS makes a difference in the constitutional, legal and public policy debates that shape our democracy.

Visit our ACS website or find us on Facebook [facebook.com].

To become a member of ACS, please visit our ACS website.

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DELTA THETA PHI LEGAL FRATERNITY (DTP)

Delta Theta Phi is a Legal Fraternity at the Law School with over 100 members. DTP enhances the law school experience by providing academic support, networking opportunities and fosters lifelong relationship with fellow students, attorneys, and the community at large.

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ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY (ELS)

The Environmental Law Society is one of the largest and most active student organizations at the William S. Richardson School of Law. Created in 1987, ELS has built an impressive program of education, scholarship, and public service. The reasons for the students’ success are numerous: the natural environment that makes Hawai‘i an extraordinary place to learn; the strong support of administration, faculty, and alumni; and the effort of enthusiastic student members.

Hawai‘i’s unique environment makes it a rare and special place to study environmental law.

Els Mission Statement

About the Environmental Law Society:
The University of Hawai`i at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Lawʻs Environmental Law Society provides students and the community with exposure to environmental issues and laws, participates in conservation efforts, and develops students’ skills to participate in the making of sound environmental policy. ELS organizes opportunities for students to go on exciting hikes and to participate in service projects throughout the school year. To enhance and enable student opportunities to work in the public sector of environmental law, ELS students raise funds for the summer grant program No Ke Ola O Ka `Aina (For the Life of the Land).

ELS members actively raise and promote awareness for greener living through ELS sponsored activities and by “living green” themselves. Living green does not necessarily entail radical sacrifices but those seemingly small changes that can have a big impact in the future. Some of those changes include: recycling, using re-usable coffee mugs and take-out containers, taking re-usable shopping bags to the grocery store, and turning off lights when not in a room, be it at home or at school.

Other ELS activities include participating in the City and County of Honolulu’s Adopt-a-Stream program. In addition, ELS sponsors island-wide hiking trips and beach cleanups, presents papers at, and participates in, regional and national environmental conferences, and organizes service trips to the uninhabited island of Kaho’olawe to assist in cleanup and re-vegetation efforts on the former U.S. military bombing target.

ELS welcomes all those who are interested in environmental law or even those who just love the outdoors and want to keep Hawai`i beautiful so that we can continue to say, “lucky we live Hawai`i.”

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ETE BOWL

The Ete flag football team is made up of female law school students. Each year they play in the Ete Bowl, a flag football game between the Etes and the alumnae team, The Bruzers.  For more information, please see Ete Bowl History, Scores & Rosters.

Student Leaders

FEDERALIST SOCIETY

The Federalist Society’s chief goal is to foster balanced and open debate about the fundamental principles of individual freedom, limited government, and judicial restraint. Our Federalist Society student chapter seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and furthering their application through our chapter activities. Our WSRSL Federalist Society is one of more than 200 nation-wide law school chapters!

In the spirit of bringing frank and open discussion of current issues to the law school, we host balanced conversations featuring conservative and libertarian academics presenting diverse views alongside their more liberal counterparts. Topics include checking federal power, protecting individual liberty, interpreting the Constitution according to its original meaning (Originalism), and hot topics in the legal and political spheres. Practicing members play a central role in networking and mentoring young lawyers in student chapters, and student members also have access to the local and national Federalist Society network of over 65,000 legal professionals! 

Notable Supreme Court Federalist Society Members include:

• Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts
• Former United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia 
• Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
• Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
• Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch
• Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh
• Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett

In 2019, Politico Magazine stated the Federalist Society “has become one of the most influential legal organizations in history.”

WSRSL FedSoc welcomes all students who are interested in increasing their knowledge of judicial theory and differing viewpoints. Be a part of our community by visiting our Instagram account and Facebook page.

Visit our website to become a WSRSL FedSoc member.

Student Leaders

FILIPINO LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (FLSA)

The Filipino Law Students Association (FLSA) is dedicated to strengthening the Filipino community through Filipino scholarship and leadership in Hawai’i’s legal community. 

FLSA also aims to raise awareness about important contemporary issues facing Filipinos, especially Filipino women, as an oppressed class of Hawai’i society, mindful that these issues are related to struggles in the Philippines and in the Native Hawaiian community. 

FLSA works closely with Hawai‘i Filipino Lawyers Association (HFLA) to provide networking opportunities for FLSA members. Each year FLSA offers two (2) $500 Scholarship Awards to members. Membership is multiethnic and scholarship opportunities are free and open to all law school students.

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FOOD LAW & POLICY SOCIETY

To educate, advocate and promote the discussion of food law and policy related issues amongst students, faculty and community members with the University of Hawai’i. 

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HAWAIʻI WOMEN LAWYERS (HWL)

We are committed to improving the lives and careers of women attorneys, influencing the future of our legal profession, enhancing the status of women and promoting equal opportunities for all.

Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers Website

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JAMES S. BURNS ALOHA CHAPTER, AMERICAN INNS OF COURT IV

James S. Burns Aloha Chapter, American Inns of Court IV is the Hawaiʻi chapter of the larger American Inns of Court (AIC).  AIC is designed to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of the bench and bar. An American Inn of Court is an amalgam of judges, lawyers, and in some cases, law professors and law students. Each Inn meets approximately once a month both to “break bread” and to hold programs and discussions on matters of ethics, skills and professionalism.”

LA ALIANZA

La Alianza promotes awareness about and justice for the growing and diverse Latino/a community in Hawai‘i. We foster connections between local and global Latino/a communities through advocacy and collaboration, while providing opportunities for law students to engage in academic, cultural, social and community service activities.

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LAMBDA LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION

Lambda Law Student Association, also known as Lambda, is a law student organization at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law (WSRSL). Our mission is to foster community and promote awareness of diverse sexuality and gender identity through social activism.

Membership is open to all current students at WSRSL who embrace the purposes stated above and have expressed an interest in participating in Lambda. We are committed to openness, inclusivity and active advocacy.

Visit the Lambda Law Student Association website.

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LAW AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATION (LBO)

The Law & Business Organization is dedicated to providing resources and networking for individuals interested in the confluence of law and business. We host events and opportunities that ensure professional development in law and business as well as maintain an active network, while supporting students currently pursuing their degrees.

Mission

The Law & Business Organization is a professional organization providing a vehicle for students interested in law and business to exchange ideas, to network with practitioners and leaders in the law and business communities, and to prepare for successful careers in law and business through practical and academic applications of the Law School curriculum.

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LAW FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT (LYTE)

Law for Youth Empowerment (LYtE) is the law student organization dedicated to juvenile justice advocacy at the William S. Richardson School of Law.

LYtE provides Law-Related Education (LRE) and mentorship to incarcerated and at-risk youth in Hawaii.  Through facilitated workshops based on our original LRE curriculum, we hope to empower Hawaii’s incarcerated youth with knowledge and the ability to make educated decisions.  We strive to provide tools and techniques for self-reflection and good decision-making. 

LYtE also engages in outreach to facilitate connections between the student body, those whose work affects juvenile justice, and the broader community.  Our ultimate goal is to inspire and support positive changes within Hawaii’s juvenile justice system while promoting overall systemic changes within our community.

Follow us on Facebook

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LAWYERS AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE (LASV)

Lawyers Against Sexual Violence (LASV) is an activist group dedicated to making change on campus to ultimately influence the rest of the world by changing campus policies to discourage sexual violence and encourage safe handling of reports, disclosures, and education on the subject. 

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NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD

The purpose of the National Lawyers Guild is to serve the people, rather than public or private entities that do not put human needs first.

“The National Lawyers Guild is the nation’s oldest and largest progressive bar association and was the first one in the US to be racially integrated.” – National Lawyers Guild Website

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PACIFIC ISLANDER LEGAL ASSOCIATION (PILA)

The Pacific Islander Legal Association (PILA) is committed to raising awareness on issues facing the Pacific community through community service, engagement and advocacy. The association supports Pacific Islander students and students interested in working with Pacific Islander communities by providing networking, social and professional growth opportunities.

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PHI DELTA PHI INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRATERNITY, RICHARDSON INN (PDP)

A local inn of the fraternity, formed in the spring of 1979, is named in honor of former Chief Justice William S. Richardson of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. The fraternity is dedicated to the professional and social interests of its members and to service to the School of Law. Membership is open to all students currently enrolled in law school.

Our singular mission is the promotion of legal ethics and academic distinction in the law schools and the profession at large. Phi Delta Phi was founded in 1869 by four law students at the University of Michigan Law. Since then, Phi Delta Phi has grown exponentially and internationally. Today, Phi Delta Phi is a significant legal organization with chapters at major law schools throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe.

Phi Delta Phi has one hundred and thirty-one active chapters — called Inns — in the Western Hemisphere and the number increases yearly. Phi Delta Phi has initiated in excess of 200,000 members. More judges, American presidents, governors, senators, representatives, cabinet members, ambassadors, American Bar Association presidents, Association of American Law School presidents and law school Deans have come from the ranks of Phi Delta Phi than from any other legal society.

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STUDENT ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND (SALDF)

The WSRSL Student Animal Legal Defense Fund is dedicated to providing a forum for education, advocacy, and scholarship aimed at protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system, and raising the profile of the field of animal law.

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STUDENTS FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH & CIVIC EDUCATION (SPOCE)

Students for Public Outreach and Civic Education’s (SPOCE) mission is to empower members of our community by teaching classes about the law and its effects on their lives, to help them become more informed citizens, and active members of society.  The program seeks to advance justice by developing law students who take pride in public service and civic education.

SPOCE aims to prevent future legal need by encouraging advocacy and making the public aware of legal issues and concerns that impact their community.  By teaching the law and by interacting with the community, law students act as positive role models for youth and as public educators while learning the practical applications of legal concepts and practicing important lawyering skills.

SPOCE carries out its mission through various public outreach and civic education programs, including: 1) Community Law classes on the First Amendment, Torts (negligence, personal injury, etc.), Landlord/Tenant Law, Parental Liability, and Child Abuse/Neglect; 2) the Jon Van Dyke First Amendment Project; 3) Mock Trial and Moot Court Coaching; 4) the Annual Discover Law Conference; and 5) through a partnership with the Hawai’i Supreme Court, in the Courts in the Community Project.

Visit us on our Facebook page.

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STUDENTS WITH KEIKI

The group provides parenting and studying resources, organizes family social opportunities, and encourages students as they juggle law school and family life.

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