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.

Ann and Jesse share their thoughts on Fed Bar

Ann Otteman, "The Fed Bar conference on Federal Indian law was an amazing experience that I would encourage all students interested in indigenous rights to attend. Judges, attorneys and fellow law students all gathered to discuss the important impacts of Federal law and courts on the nation's indigenous populations. One of the most interesting things that I learned was that the eyes of the nations are on Hawaii as a model for native rights. It was a great experience I plan on repeating."

Jesse Smith, "The 2009 Fed Bar Conference and NALSA meeting provided our team members the opportunity to experience first hand and learn about the important issues facing Indian Country today. We were able to network with and make friends with other advocates in the field and those most affected by changes in the law. Unlike any other field of law, attending such a conference as Fed Bar entails the law coming to life right before your eyes as you are thrown into the sea of humanity for which the law is supposed to serve. If nothing else, such an experience teaches us that the law is much more than what is written in codes and case books, and that even here in Hawaii we have friends across the country who empathize with and support our cause."

After the conference ended, the Hawai'i group went to Santa Fe town where this photo was taken.


Also after the conference ended, the Hawai'i group shared a meal with a Navajo lawyer and a Washington D.C. attorney.

For Third Consecutive Year, UH Places Among Top Teams

UH Law School Moot Court Team Again Finishes Among the Top Teams In National Competition

HONOLULU ­­­– Students from the University of Hawai`i’s William S. Richardson School of Law successfully defended their title and won second place again at the National Native American Law Students Association’s Moot Court Competition. More than 40 teams from 17 law schools across the United States competed. This marks the third year in a row that a University of Hawai`i Law School team competed in the final round.

“Once again our students worked very hard and did an outstanding job in this intense national competition,” said Avi Soifer, Dean of the Law School. “We are very proud of all these students and very grateful to all the members of the legal community who helped them prepare so well for the national competition.”

The 17th annual National Native American Law Students Association’s Moot Court Competition was hosted this year by the law schools at the University of Colorado and Denver University. Law students compete by arguing both sides of a simulated appeals court case both orally and in writing.

Third year law student Ann Otteman and second year law student Jesse Smith completed five oral argument rounds before reaching the final round. Otteman and Smith took second place in the Best Advocates category, while a team from Columbia Law School finished in First Place. This category represents the top team of competitors in the oral argument portion of the competition.

Other students who competed included third year law students Rafael Renteria, Christopher Santos, and Terrence Thornburgh, and second year law students Lahela Hite, Chasid Sapolu, Scott Shishido, Ka`upena Soon, and Kau`i Yamane. Six of these students also reached the top 16 team bracket. These Hawai'i law students were accompanied by Joni Domingues and Uilisone Tua.

Hawai`i judges, attorneys, and law professors helped to prepare Hawai`i’s teams. The judges included federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Clifton, District Court Judges David Ezra and Michael Seabright, and Magistrate Judge Leslie Kobayashi.

The Honolulu Advertiser also had an article on this.