University of Hawaii law students who serve clients in the community will soon have a new $7.4 million building to work in.
Construction will begin in October on the William S. Richardson School of Law’s new Clinical Building at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It’s expected to be complete in July 2017.
“We are extremely pleased that this much-needed and long-awaited project is actually under way,” said Dean Avi Soifer. “Our law school is uniquely involved with, and committed to, the community. This Clinical Building gives us vital professional space for our students to be prepared for trial practice and advocacy. Additionally, it is significant for reaccreditation and also helps us remain on par with other law schools around the country that have recently upgraded their facilities.”
Maui-based F&H Construction is scheduled to break ground late September. The building design has already qualified at the LEED Silver level as a green building and may attain Gold status.
“Adding space to the already cramped Law School buildings built in 1982 is long overdue, and has been a dream for more than a decade,” said Associate Dean Denise Antolini, who has headed the project since 2003. “It will enable student clinics to serve an even broader segment of at-risk populations in the community.”
Those who already receive law student help include the elderly, veterans, troubled and incarcerated youth, and families living at or near poverty levels. The Elder Law Clinic has provided more than 10,000 hours of free legal help to seniors in the more than 25 years since it moved from the Legal Aid Society to the school under the leadership of Professor James Pietsch. Recently the law school has increased its focus on directly serving the legal needs of veterans.
The multitude of clinical courses also includes new programs in areas such as Family Law, Immigration Law and Small Business Assistance. The school offers a broad array of “experiential” or “practice ready” courses, including simulation, skills training, alternative dispute resolution, externships and pro bono opportunities, but to date there has been no dedicated space for this practical learning.
