The William S. Richardson School of Law is a public, co-educational institution of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawai'i and is one of the leading law schools in the United States. Named after the beloved Hawai'i State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson, it is the only law school in the State of Hawai'i. It is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

The William S. Richardson School of Law has adopted a mission of promoting justice, ethical responsibility and public service with special emphasis on field of law of particular importance to Hawai'i and the Pacific Rim region including environmental law, rights of native Hawaiians, maritime law and Pacific and Asian legal systems. There are approximately 245 students with an average of 80 students in each class, taught by 18 permanent faculty.

Establishment

The William S. Richardson School of Law was established by an act of the Hawai'i State Legislature in 1968 and welcomed its first doctor of jurisprudence candidates in 1973. There were fifty-three students in the first class, including John D. Waihee III, future Governor of Hawai'i. In 1974, the American Bar Association granted provisional accreditation and then received full accreditation in 1982. In 1983, the William S. Richardson School of Law moved into new facilities on the campus of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.

Recent Developments

• The William S. Richardson School of Law was ranked in the top tier as one of America's Top Law Schools in 2004 by Law School 100.
• The U.S. News and World Report ranked it as one of America's Best Graduate Schools for 2005.
• In 2003, Aviam Soifer became the law school's newest Dean.

Resources

• University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
• William S. Richardson School of Law
• William S. Richardson Law Library