HSBA Young LAwyers Division PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Hear From the
YLD President

Insights and updates from the President of the HSBA YLD on our initiatives and role in serving Hawaii’s legal community.

October 2026

Lauren Watanabe, HSBA Young Lawyers Division President

Aloha,

Happy fall, everyone! As we look ahead to the new year, I am thrilled to announce the results of the 2027 HSBA Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”) elections and introduce our incoming officers for the upcoming term:

  • Kylie Takafuji, Vice President: Kylie previously served as O‘ahu Director for two years and most recently as Treasurer. Having worked alongside her as Co-Chair of the Mock Trial Committee, I have seen firsthand her exceptional leadership, strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and steady demeanor—qualities that will serve our YLD membership well.
  • Melody Kaohu, Secretary: Melody served as O‘ahu Director for two years and as Judicial Liaison for the Mock Trial Committee. She single-handedly coordinates with the courts and our esteemed judiciary to ensure student participants in the Mock Trial Competition have access to real-life judges. Her dedication, leadership, and thoughtful approach are invaluable to our division.
  • Brennan Wong, Treasurer: Brennan previously served as O‘ahu Director and Secretary. He consistently steps up to lead new initiatives, including organizing this year’s highly successful YLD pau hana events.


Please join me in congratulating our returning Directors - Joel Burgess (reelected for a second term), Lucy Brown, Chloe Cabanas, Joshua Casey, Kenory Khuy, and Reyn Ono - as well as welcoming our newly elected Directors, Rachel Murakami, Treyson Suemori, and Emerald Tsui. Guided by President-Elect Christopher Han, this group brings an incredible mix of experience, fresh perspectives, and genuine dedication to supporting our legal community, and I am excited to see the work they will do together in the coming year.

Get Involved with Mock Trial: The YLD Mock Trial Committee is actively seeking attorneys to support participating schools. If you are interested in serving as an attorney coach, presiding judge, or competition volunteer, or if you would like to sponsor a school's application fee, please reach out to us at yldmocktrial@gmail.com.

Mahalo,
Lauren Watanabe