HWL Annual Awards
Hawaii Women Lawyers is pleased to announce our 2025 Annual Awards recipients!
Outstanding Women Lawyer Award
Cynthia T. Tai
Outstanding Judicial Achievement Award
Judge Jessi L.K. Hall
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Late James K. Hoenig
Distinguished Service Award
Tiffany L.H. Kaeo
President's Award
Rai Saint Chu
The 2025 Hawaii Women Lawyers Annual Awards Ceremony and Reception was held on:
Thursday, April 16th
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The Pacific Club
(1451 Queen Emma Street, Honolulu, HI 96813)
Individual Tickets: $80.00
Government/Non-Profit Tickets: $60.00
*Tickets are open seating*
One drink ticket per attendee included in ticket price. Heavy pupus and dessert will be served.
Doors to open at 5:00 p.m. with ceremony to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Hawaii Women Lawyers is pleased to announce our 2025 Annual Awards recipients!
Outstanding Women Lawyer Award
Cynthia T. Tai
Outstanding Judicial Achievement Award
Judge Jessi L.K. Hall
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Late James K. Hoenig
Distinguished Service Award
Tiffany L.H. Kaeo
President's Award
Rai Saint Chu
The 2025 Hawaii Women Lawyers Annual Awards Ceremony and Reception was held on:
Thursday, April 16th
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The Pacific Club
(1451 Queen Emma Street, Honolulu, HI 96813)
Individual Tickets: $80.00
Government/Non-Profit Tickets: $60.00
*Tickets are open seating*
One drink ticket per attendee included in ticket price. Heavy pupus and dessert will be served.
Doors to open at 5:00 p.m. with ceremony to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Each year, Hawai'i Women Lawyers is proud to recognize women and men in our community who have made significant contributions that advance our organization's mission of improving the lives and careers of women in all aspects of the legal community, influencing the future of the legal profession, enhancing the status of women and promoting equal opportunities for all people.
Please help us recognize the dedicated attorneys, judges, and individuals who have made significant contributions to our community. The award categories are as follows:
Outstanding Women Lawyer: Individual attorney having achieved accomplishments of significant merit which advance the mission of Hawai'i Women Lawyers.
Outstanding Judicial Achievement: Sitting judge who has made significant contributions to the bench which advance the mission of Hawai'i Women Lawyers.
Lifetime Achievement: Individual in our community who has, over her or his lifetime, made significant contributions in areas that have advanced the mission of Hawai'i Women Lawyers.
Distinguished Service: Individual in our community who has made significant contributions within the past year to advance the mission of Hawai'i Women Lawyers.
Please send your nominations via email to [email protected] no later than Friday, October 30, 2026. Please include a description of how the individual(s) have advanced HWL's mission and for which award they are being nominated. The award ceremony recognizing the selected recipients will take place in April 2027.
Nominators, please feel free to submit nominations you may have previously submitted if your nominees have not yet been chosen for those categories in previous award years.
Previous Awardees
|
Outstanding Women Lawyer Award 2025 - Cynthia T. Tai 2024 - Dean Camille Nelson 2023 - Rochelle Vidinha 2022 - Rhonda Griswold 2021 - Rep. Sylvia Luke 2020 - Susan L. Arnett 2019 - Senator Laura H. Thielen 2018 - Rebecca Copeland 2017 - Jennifer Solidum Rose 2016 - Joanne Grimes 2015 - Representative Linda Ichiyama 2014 - Janet Kelly 2013 - Representative Della Au Bellati 2012 - Senator Maile Shimabukuro 2011 - Shannon Wack & Jo Kim 2010 - Kathryn Matayoshi 2009 - Florence Nakakuni 2008 - Hazel Beh 2007 - Senator Colleen Hanabusa 2006 - Colleen Wong 2005 - Thalia Murphy 2004 - Lea Hong 2003 - Mari Matsuda 2002 - Congresswoman Patsy Mink 2001 - General Coral Wong Pietsch 2000 - Donna Tanoue 1999 - Susan Ichinose 1998 - Margery Bronster 1997 - Beadie Kanahele Dawson 1996 - Yuklin Aluli 1995 - Stephanie Rezents 1994 - Pamela Ferguson-Brey 1993 - Mervina Cash-Kaeo 1992 - Esther Kwon Arinaga 1991 - Ellen Godbey Carson 1990 - Lorraine Akiba 1989 - Joyce Neely & Leslie Hayashi 1987 - Elizabeth Fujiwara 1986 - Susan Oki Mollway 1985 - Sherry Broder 1984 - Angie King 1983 - Shelby Anne Floyd 1982 - Carol Mon Lee 1981 - Meredith Lennel Distinguished Service Award 2025 - Tiffany L.H. Kaeo 2024 - Leina'ala Ley, Joanna Zeigler, Isaac Moriwake & Kylie Wager-Cruz 2023 - Chief Judge R. Mark Browning (Ret.) 2022 - Dr. Reni Soon 2021 - Jenny Silbiger 2020 - Nalani Fujimori Kaina 2019 - Tracey S. Wiltgen 2018 - Karen Char 2017 - Avis Aokele Kalama 2016 - Zale Okazaki 2015 - Dr. Jill Omori 2014 - Honorable Karen Radius (Ret.) 2013 - Representative Sylvia Luke 2012 - Senator Mazie Hirono 2011 - Elizabeth Kent 2010 - Amy Agbayani 2009 - Adriana Ramelli 2008 - Rob Perez 2007 - Chris Chun 2006 - Carol Mon Lee 2005 - Laurie Tochiki 2004 - Nanci Kriedman 2003 - Lorraine Robinson 2002 - Denise Antolini 2001 - Allicyn Hikida Tasaka & Annelle Amaral 2000 - Ellen Godbey Carson 1999 - Diane Yukihiro Chang 1998 - Jacqueline Young 1997 - Dorothy "Dolly" Ching 1996 - Judy Weightman 1995 - Reverend Pamela Vessels & Anne Clarkin 1994 - Judy Sobin & Windward Spouse Abuse Coalition 1993 - Honorable Marie Milks 1992 - Rep. Annelle Amaral & Sara Lyn Smith 1991 - Chief Justice Herman T.F. Lum 1990 - Honorable Helen Gillmor 1989 - Senator Mary George 1987 - Naomi Campbell 1986 - Congresswoman Patsy Mink 1985 - C. Frederick Schutte 1984 - Honorable Betty Vitousek 1982 - Harriet Bouslog 1981 - Rhoda Lewis |
Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 - The Late James K. Hoenig 2024 - Constance Lau 2023 - The Late Pat Mau-Shimizu 2022 - The Late Darolyn Lendio Heim 2021 - Avi Soifer 2020 - Professor Carole J. Petersen 2019 - Honorable Barbara P. Richardson (ret.) 2018 - Esther Arinaga 2017 - Vanessa Chong 2016 - Honorable Richard Clifton 2015 - Marya Grambs 2014 - Robert A. Chong 2013 - Director Loretta Fuddy 2012 - Marilyn Lee 2011 - Professor Jon Markham Van Dyke 2010 - Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon 2009 - Mahealani Perez Wendt 2008 - Sonia Faust 2007 - Honorable Marcia Waldorf 2006 - Shimeji Ryusaki Kanazawa 2005 - Melody MacKenzie 2004 - Lois Yasui 2003 - Alana W. Lau 2002 - Shelby Anne Floyd 2001 - Beadie Kanahele Dawson 2000 - Bernice Littman 1999 - Ah Quon McElrath 1998 - Chief Justice William S. Richardson 1997 - Honorable Evelyn Lance 1996 - Congresswoman Patsy Mink 1995 - Honorable Betty Vitousek 1994 - Naomi Campbell President's Award 2025 - Rai Saint Chu 2024 - Twinkle Borge 2023 - Robin Wurtzel 2022 - Deja Ostrowski & Dina Shek 2021 - Lynn Costales 2020 - The Domestic Violence Action Center & Nanci Kriedman 2019 - Rachael Wong 2018 - Dr. Jackie Young 2017 - Senator Rosalyn Baker 2016 - Ellen Godbey Carson 2015 - Honorable Daniel R. Foley 2014 - Women of Waianae 2013 - HI State Commission on the Status of Women 2012 - Ete Bowl Founders & Participants 2011 - Susan Ichinose 2010 - Kimberlee Bassford 2009 - Elisabeth Chun 2008 - Melissa Pavlicek 2007 - Louise K. Y. Ing 2006 - Congresswoman Mazie Hirono 2005 - Representative Barbara Marumoto 2004 - Dr. Laura Weldon Hoque 2003 - Karen Char & June R. Lee 2002 - Lynn Maunakea 2001 - Patricia McManaman 2000 - Rai Saint Chu & Emme Tomimbang 1999 - M. Casey Jarman 1998 - Sister Michelle McQueeny 1997 - Gladys Kamakuokalani Alona Brandt 1996 - Honorable Marie Milks 1995 - Madelyn Perry & Reverend Pamela Boyd 1994 - Cynthia Thielen 1993 - Trudy Burns Stone 1992 - Sharon Burnham Takeuchi 1991 - Susan Arinaga Li 1990 - Michelle Tucker 1989 - Susan Jaworowski Outstanding Judicial Achievement Award 2025 - Judge Jessi L.K. Hall 2024 - Judge Dyan Medeiros 2023 - Judge Trish K. Morikawa 2022 - Associate Justice Paula Nakayama 2021 - Honorable Dayna Dias Beamer (ret.) 2020 - Honorable Darien W.L. Ching Nagata 2019 - Honorable Alexa D.M. Fujise 2018 - Honorable Helen Gillmor 2017 - Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald 2016 - Honorable Trudy Senda 2015 - Honorable Linda K.C. Luke 2014 - Honorable Jennifer Ching 2013 - Honorable Christine Kuriyama 2012 - Honorable Leslie Hayashi 2011 - Honorable Faye Koyanagi 2010 - Honorable Leslie Kobayashi 2009 - Honorable Corinne Watanabe 2008 - Honorable R. Mark Browning 2007 - Honorable Karen Radius 2006 - Honorable Sabrina S. McKenna 2005 - Honorable Colleen Hirai 2004 - Honorable Susan Oki Mollway 2003 - Honorable Marie Milks 2002 - Justice Paula Nakayama 2001 - Honorable Frances Wong |