The UH Law School graduated 109 law students over the weekend, with Hawai‘i Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald challenging them to “always seek justice” as they go forward in their careers, and Dean Camille Nelson praising them for their fortitude, courage and steadfastness through this most difficult of times – a global pandemic.
“As attorneys we are called upon to live those ideals,” Recktenwald continued, reflecting back on the student pledge he administered three years ago in the Hawai‘i Supreme Court chambers as the graduates began their law school careers. The pledge commits each student to guard legal, civil and human rights, to approach responsibilities with integrity, professionalism and civility, and to advance the interests of those they serve before their own.
“You are the future leaders, the voices for justice and the rule of law,” Dean Nelson told the graduates. “You belong to what is likely one of the most resilient, hard-working, determined, committed, dynamic, and flexible generations that we have witnessed in decades. You have had to adjust, focus, re-focus, pivot, help others … and study, not just any curriculum, but a law school curriculum in the midst of it all! This is tremendous. Take a moment to bask in your accomplishments and exhale. If you can make it through all of that, I am convinced that you can do pretty much anything you set your hearts and minds to.”
The commencement was live-streamed on YouTube, with deans and speakers gathered at the William S. Richardson School of Law for a video that also included shots of each graduate celebrating at home with friends, family, champagne, balloons, babies and pets.
As well, the ceremony included Mahalo messages from graduates, thanking not just their loved ones, but their classmates and professors for the tremendous support they received.
In addition to the virtual ceremony Sunday, 36 law graduates joined a hybrid walkthrough in their commencement regalia in the evening of May 13 at Bachman Hall, where they had photos taken with Dean Nelson in front of the Bachman Hall mural. By providing both a virtual and hybrid choice, the UH team offered several options for 2021 graduates.
Those options for law graduates included listening to commencement speakers during the live-streamed ceremony, including: Professor Nicholas Mirkay who was chosen by graduates as the faculty speaker; Kaulu Lu‘uwai speaking for the JD class; Hoku Chun speaking for the Evening Part-Time Program; Samraansh Sharma speaking for the LLM class; and Judge Barbara ‘Bebe’ Richardson (Ret.) presenting the class. Graduate Gloria Palma was MC, Professor Kapua Sproat narrated the historic overview of Richardson Law School’s founding which opened the program, Kahikino Noa Dettweiler-Pavia chanted the oli, and Professor Troy Andrade played ‘Hawaii Aloha’ on the ukulele.
The commencement included: 103 with JD degrees, including 95 in the Full Time Program, and 8 in the Evening Part-Time Program; 5 with LLM degrees; and 1 with an SJD degree. The LLM students hailed from the Solomon Islands, Japan, Korea, and India as well as the U.S.
