Location: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Founded: 1973
Joined AALS: 1989
Dean: Camille A. Nelson
Located in Honolulu, the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is Hawai‘i’s only law school and a vital academic institution serving the Pacific region and beyond. Founded in 1973 through the vision of Chief Justice William S. Richardson, the law school is a public institution grounded in a mission to expand access to legal education and advance justice through a culturally rooted, globally oriented curriculum. Richardson Law is nationally recognized for its leadership in Environmental law, International & Comparative law, Native Hawaiian law, and Pacific-Asian legal studies, and is home to nationally recognized programs and innovative clinical offerings. With a dynamic student body, exceptional faculty, and deep community engagement, Richardson continues to prepare practice-ready lawyers and visionary leaders who serve Hawaiʻi, the U.S., and the world with purpose and aloha.
Now in its fifth year, the Island Leadership Lab Seminar at the William S. Richardson School of Law is a unique, immersive experience that prepares law students to lead with purpose across diverse sectors. Co-taught by Dean Camille Nelson and attorney Noelani Kalipi, the seminar brings together small cohorts of students with distinguished Leaders in Residence from legal practice, government, business, NGOs, and community leadership roles. With a curriculum more commonly found in business schools than law schools, the Island Leadership Lab equips students with practical tools, place-based learning, and a leadership mindset that will serve them throughout their legal education and professional careers.
“I’m inspired by how the William S. Richardson School of Law is shaping legal education to prepare the next generation of lawyers to lead with purpose, empathy, and innovation”, said Camille A. Nelson, Dean of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law. “Whether delivering on our mission through our Hawaiʻi Online JD Program, offering students free virtual health and wellness resources, offering Business Bootcamps, or expanding experiential learning and pro bono opportunities, Richardson Law makes a difference in the lives of our students and communities. The school’s recognition as one of the nation’s most diverse law faculties and its continued emphasis on collaborative, mission-driven legal education showcase how it equips future lawyers to lead thoughtfully, compassionately, and creatively.”
