HSBA Young Lawyers Division

About Us

Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is automatic for all HSBA members until the end of the calendar year in which you turn 36 years old or if you have been in practice less than five years anywhere. See our Bylaws for more information.


The YLD aims to provide its members with opportunities for professional development, to promote camaraderie among members, and to equip members with the skills to grow, thrive, and promote the public welfare.

We invite and encourage members to take an active role in the YLD! Contact us at [email protected] with questions, comments, or suggestions. Feel free to join us at our monthly meetings. 

The YLD is a proud affiliate of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA). For more information regarding the ABA YLD activities and resources, see the ABA YLD website. 

YLD President's Message
Lisa Yang (May 2023)

Aloha,

We are seeking volunteers for Law Week 2023. The YLD annually sponsors Law Week, a week-long event dedicated to highlighting the important roles of attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals in our community. This year, Law Week will be taking place from Sunday, May 21st to Sunday, May 28th. As part of Law Week, the YLD is hosting virtual and in-person legal clinics all over the State. The YLD is looking for volunteers and I am emailing to ask for your help! Volunteer opportunities are discussed below.

The Virtual Legal Line: YLD’s virtual clinics, i.e. the Law Week Legal Line, will take place every weeknight during Law Week (May 22-26) from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Callers will dial in from all over the State (and virtual attorney volunteers from ALL islands are welcome). If you are interested in volunteering for the virtual Legal Line, please fill out the survey here. Volunteering for the Legal Line is now easier than ever:

  • Attorney volunteers can take calls (no video) from the comfort of their office or home;
  • All calls are forwarded to your cell phone, iPad, or computer via the RingCentral app (don’t worry callers cannot see your phone number);
  • Reference materials and resources are provided to all attorney volunteers; and
  • Attorney volunteers only provide legal information and no legal advice (you don’t have to worry about knowing any particular area of law, all volunteers merely point callers toward the appropriate public legal resource).
In-Person Legal Clinics Across the State: We are also looking for attorney volunteers to staff in-person legal clinics across the State. Like the Legal Line, all attorney volunteers only provide legal information and no legal advice. If you are interested in volunteering at an in-person legal clinic, please sign up here. The confirmed in-person legal clinics/dates are listed below.
Island Date Time Market
Maui Sun, May 21 4:00 pm -8:00 pm Maui Sunday Market (Kahului)
O‘ahu Sat, May 27 8:00 am -12:00 pm Kaka‘ako Farmers’ Market
Kaua‘i Sat, May 27 9:30 am -12:30 pm
 Grove Farm Market (Lihue)
O‘ahu Sun, May 28 8:00 am-12:00 pm
 Kailua Farmers’ Market

Once again, if you are interested in serving as a volunteer for Law Week, please sign up for a shift here. If you have any questions about volunteer opportunities, please feel free to contact me. Your time and effort are deeply appreciated!

I strongly encourage members to become actively involved in the YLD by participating in our projects and programs hosted throughout the year and sharing your ideas with us – we want to hear from you! Also, please follow the YLD on social for up-to-date information – in addition to our website, we are on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also contact me or any current YLD Board member to learn more about getting involved or reach out to us at [email protected] for more information.

 Mahalo!


2023 YLD Board of Officers and Directors

PositionFull NameTerm StartTerm End
PresidentLisa Malia Yang1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Vice PresidentKelcie K. Nagata1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
SecretaryDanica Lee Swenson1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
TreasurerAndria Renee Schumann1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuDaylin-Rose H Y L G Heather1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM
Director - MauiJill Lynn Uehara1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Director - West HawaiiAsia Carolynne Howe1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuLansen Hon Gong Leu1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuJarrett Dempsey1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuChad Ken Lee Au1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuIlayda Elmas Ossanna1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM12/31/2023 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuJacob Troy Tokunaga1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuLauren Keiko Watanabe1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM
Director - KauaiGeorgia Anton1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM
Director - OahuRaven Julia Sevilleja1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM
Director - East HawaiiIan Robert Wesley-Smith1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM

Annual Projects

High School Mock Trial Program

Volunteer attorneys coach high school mock trial teams as they prepare to take a case from start to finish. The program culminates in mock trial competitions between schools and a State Championship at the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Learn More

Junior Judges

Volunteer attorneys visit 3rd, 4th & 5th grade classrooms statewide and help students to think about the challenges they face each day and how they can make ethical decisions when “feeling the pressure."

Learn More

Law Week

The Young Lawyers Division, YLD, provides free legal information in person at different locations throughout the state and via phone calls on KHON2’s Action Line during Law Week

Learn More

Legal Lines

Volunteer attorneys host a telephone hotline every Wednesday evening from the hours of 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Legal Line is limited to the hour. The volunteer attorneys provide free legal information to the public.

Learn More

How to Volunteer or Get Involved

We invite and encourage members to take an active role in Young Lawyers Division!

By-Laws of the YLD

View the YLD By-Laws here.

 

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