NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!!!!

CLICK HERE
to see actual announcement







Ka Huli Ao
Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian
Law
Post-J.D. Research Fellowships in
Native Hawaiian Law
Ka Huli Ao Post-J.D. Research Fellowship Program in Native Hawaiian Law provides stipends to recent law graduates to support research, scholarship, teaching, and/or other research-related projects that impact Native Hawaiian Law or that fill a need in the Native Hawaiian community. The goal of the Research Fellowship is to advance knowledge, scholarship, or learning in Native Hawaiian Law.

Depending on available funding, up to six Research Fellowships will be awarded. Fellows will receive a stipend of $50,000, paid out over a one-year period beginning in August 2009.

For more details on eligibility and requirements CLICK HERE

Featuring Bill Meheula

Bill Meheula is a Honolulu attorney who grew up Mō‘ili‘ili and Kalihi Valley. Bill Meheula recently served as an attorney in the United States Supreme Court case, Hawaii v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Bill talks about the Obama administration and how that affects the future of the Native Hawaiian community and the "ceded" lands.



As part of our community outreach, for the past several weeks, we provided a series of video clips of law students (and a few lawyers) on our blog. These law students and lawyers shared their experiences either in law school or in the legal profession.

We invite you to watch these brief video clips and hear what these inspirational people had to say.

Federal Indian Law class offered.

Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law is offering Law 520G - Federal Indian Law. The course will be taught by Hawai'i attorney and Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, Carl Christensen.

The Federal Indian Law (Law 520G) course examines constitutional constraints on the federal government's recognition of native groups in relation to pending legal challenges to benefits for Native Hawaiians and reviews recent developments and possible future trends in federal Indian law affecting Native Hawaiians.

The class allows enrolled students an opportunity to learn a very complex and unique area of law and the relevance of federal Indian law to Hawai'i. Only a limited number of Hawai'i attorneys have experience in federal Indian law and Prof. Carl Christensen is one of the few.

A fundamental understanding of federal Indian law, largely through the Federal Indian Law course, has been attributed to the William S. Richardson School of Law's Native American Moot Court Team's success in the past several years. For three straight years in a row, Hawaiʻi's Native American Moot Court team reached the final round of the National Native American Law Students Associationʻs annual moot court competition. CLICK HERE to read about this yearʻs win.

In 2007, returning Native American Moot Court team members wrote a commentary, in the Honolulu Advertiser, on the Akaka Bill and federal Indian law. CLICK HERE to read commentary.

From Azusa, California to Manoa

Ann Kanoelehua Otteman a third year law student and a finalist in this year's National Native American Law Students Association's moot court competition talks about the need for Native Hawaiian attorneys and law students. Ann took Second Place with her partner Jesse Smith. CLICK HERE for Honolulu Advertiser article. Find out what Ann had to say in the video below.



As part of our community outreach, for the next several weeks, we are providing a series of video clips of law students (and a few lawyers) on our blog. These law students and lawyers share their experience either in law school or in the legal profession.

We invite you to watch these brief video clips and hear what these inspirational people have to say.

Our Very Own YWCA Honoree

The Young Womenʻs Christian Association (YWCA) has a website dedicated to women leaders at RaiseMyLeader.org One of this yearʻs honorees is Professor Melody Kapilialoha MacKenzie. You can see Prof. MacKenzie RaiseMyLeader profile page by CLICKING HERE. RaiseMyLeader.org described Prof. MacKenzie as having, "worked on Native Hawaiian legal issues for over thirty years. In her role at the Law School, she develops and teaches courses on Native Hawaiian law, writes and lectures extensively and is the chief editor of the Native Hawaiian Rights Handbook. Recently, her efforts lead to the approval of a new certificate program in Native Hawaiian Law at the Law School. She also counsels and mentors law students as part of her commitment to developing future leaders."

If you know Prof. MacKenzie in either a personal or professional capacity, we encourage you to consider leaving a comment for (or about) her by CLICKING HERE, reading some of the current comments, and then scrolling down until you see "Leave a comment." From there you can enter your name as well as the comment you would like to leave. Mahalo nui for your support.

Law School Admission Test Preparation begins

This Saturday, Ka Huli Ao will begin its Law School Admission Test preparation program. Previously, the program was completed operated by the law student organization, ʻAhahui o Hawaiʻi with support from the William S. Richardson School of Law and Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law. We are confident that Ka Huli Ao will build upon the success of ʻAhahui o Hawaiʻi.

Initially, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs funded the program through grants. Now, Ka Huli Ao funds the program through its funding. The adoption of this program by Ka Huli Ao will help to keep the program sustainable and permanent as student leaders enroll and graduate from the law school.

Derek Kauanoe, a Ka Huli Ao Post-JD fellow who oversees the program, and Liam Skilling who conducts the classes are both excited for the incoming class. Previously, Liam and Derek worked on this program when it was managed by ʻAhahui o Hawaiʻi.

We have a good number of aspiring advocates for the Native Hawaiian community. Program participants have interests in various issues that include:

• foster care,
• the environment,
• culture,
• language,
• and traditional & customary rights.

Derek is excited to know that many of these program participants not only have an interest in these issues but have also been demonstrably active in the community.

We had an overwhelming response to our program this year. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate every applicant. We are exploring possibilities to offer another class this fall to prepare aspiring law school applicants for the December 2009 LSAT. Anyone interested should CLICK HERE and subscribe or join the e-mail. We use that e-mail list to provide program updates.

We will definitely keep you posted on updates regarding this group.

From rural Kaua'i, to law school, to Earth Justice, and back to law school

In March 2007, Prof. Kapua Sproat was featured on the cover of Hawai‘i Business Magazine as among 25 People for the Next 25 Years; Hawai‘i's Bright People and Bright Future. Watch the video below to find out where Prof. Kapua Sproat is from, what she does in the legal profession, and what she says Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law does.

As part of our community outreach, for the next several weeks, we are providing a series of video clips of law students (and a few lawyers) on our blog. These law students and lawyers share their experience either in law school or in the legal profession.

We invite you to watch these brief video clips and hear what these inspirational people have to say.