HSBA 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.

August 2026

Lauren Watanabe, HSBA Young Lawyers Division President

Aloha,

We have two exciting announcements for August!

  1. Run for the 2027 YLD Board of Directors

We invite active YLD members to step into leadership by running for the 2027 Board of Directors! Serving on the board is a fantastic way to connect with colleagues across diverse practice areas while organizing impactful community initiatives like the Hawai‘i High School Mock Trial Competition, Legal Lines, Law Week, and other volunteer efforts. We are seeking candidates for the following positions:

  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • O‘ahu Director (4 seats available)
  • East Hawai‘i Director
  • Kaua‘i Director


How to Apply: Email a letter of interest, short bio, and headshot to the HSBA YLD Nominating Committee at yldhawaii@gmail.com by August 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM HST.

  1. 2027 Hawai‘i High School Mock Trial Season Kick-Off

August marks the official launch of the 2027 Hawai‘i High School Mock Trial Competition! Following a record-breaking 2026 season with over 200 students across 21 teams, we are thrilled to expand our reach this year and invite all public and private high schools statewide to apply.

As YLD’s flagship program, Mock Trial empowers students to step into the roles of attorneys, witnesses, clerks, and bailiffs to build critical thinking, collaboration, and public speaking skills along the way.

Get Involved: This program thrives thanks to our dedicated volunteers. If you are interested in serving as an attorney coach, judge, or day-of volunteer for the 2027 season, please email yldmocktrial@gmail.com.

Mahalo,
Lauren Watanabe