About Me

I was born in Berkeley, California and have been a resident of Hawaiʻi Island since 2003. Before moving to Hawaiʻi, I graduated cum laude from Columbia University in 2000. In 2009, I graduated summa cum laude from the William S. Richardson School of Law, where I served on the University of Hawaiʻi Law Review, earned an Environmental Law Certificate, and won a number of awards for academic achievement. Before entering into private practice in 2011, I worked for The Law Firm of Crudele & De Lima and for The Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi. For the past several years, I have focused on Child Welfare Law and helped to found The Children's Law Project of Hawaiʻi. I am also certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist by the National Association of Counsel for Children.*

Experience

• Solo Practice on Hawaiʻi Island 2011-2020, 2024-present
• The Children's Law Project of Hawaiʻi, Co-Founder and Managing Attorney
• Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi, Staff Attorney
• Crudele & De Lima, Associate
• University of Hawaiʻi Law Review, Executive Editor for Research
• County of Hawaiʻi Corporation Counsel, Law Clerk
• Professor David Callies, Research Assistant
• Office of the Public Defender, Intern

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Hawaiʻi, 2009
• Federal District Court, 2010

Education

• J.D., summa cum laude, University of Hawaiʻi, William S. Richardson School of Law, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 2009.
• B.A., cum laude, Columbia University, Columbia College, New York, New York 2000, Astronomy & English.

Honors and Distinctions

• Hawaiʻi Women's Legal Foundation Rhoda Lewis Award co-recipient for outstanding public service, 2022
• Hawaiʻi State Bar Association Leadership Institute, 2018
• Child Welfare Law Specialist, Certified by the National Association of Counsel for Children*
• Environmental Law Certificate
• CALI Awards for the Highest Grade: Criminal Procedure, Real Property I, Real Property II, Trusts & Estates, Federal Income Taxation, Comparative Takings, Legal Practice
• Frank D. Gibson Jr. Scholarship
• McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon Scholarship
• Rush Moore Craven Sutton Morry & Beh Award
• Advocates for Public Interest Law Grant