Deposit Deadline

• Pay the non-refundable $250 JD Tuition Deposit. Students admitted after April 1 should reference their admission email and Online Status page for their respective seat deposit deadline.

  • When we receive your deposit, we will update the Fees section of your online status page to include the amount paid and the date. Our payment system will also generate a deposit acknowledgement email.

  • Deferment requests are considered on an individual basis. If you would like to defer your admission by one year, please email your request to the Office of Admissions at lawadm@hawaii.edu by July 31. If your request is granted, you will be asked to pay the $250 deposit. The $250 deposit for this year will not be applied to next year's tuition or fees, and is non-refundable. 

  • Should you decide not to attend the UH Law School, please complete this short form to decline here. 

Other Deadlines

• Check your UH email regularly at https://gmail.hawaii.edu. For more info, see the MyUH and UH Email section.

• ASAP - Complete the Admitted Students Questionnaire.

• ASAP - Apply for resident tuition or a tuition exemption (e.g., military orders, Native Hawaiian ancestry, Pacific Island citizenship). You must complete the Residency Form even if you were previously classified as a resident by the University of Hawai'i.

• ASAP - If you have a disability that you believe may qualify for disability access services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our law registrar's office at lawreg@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-7966. See also UHM KOKUA Program.

• ASAP - If needed, apply for F-1 Student Visa (International Students Only). See the International Students section.

• Suggested UH Email Footer.  We will be excited to have you identify yourselves as current law students after you begin your legal studies in the Fall. In the meantime, you certainly may identify yourself as an admitted student or a future juris doctor candidate on your CV, résumé, LinkedIn page, etc. Most entering, full-time students will graduate in three years. Most entering part-time students will graduate in four years.

First Last (he, him, his) Future J.D. Candidate, Class of 2027 William S. Richardson School of Law Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX Email: XXXXX@hawaii.edu

First Middle Last Admitted JD Student, Entering Class of 2027 The University of Hawai'i at Manoa | William S. Richardson School of Law Cell: (XXX) XXX-XXXX | Email: XXXXX@hawaii.edu

First Middle Last | she/her/hers Future Juris Doctor Candidate, Class of 2027 University of Hawai'i at Manoa | William S. Richardson School of Law (XXX) XXX-XXXX | XXXXX@hawaii.edu

April/May Deadlines

• April 1 - Explore our JD/MSW joint degree program with the Thompson School of Social Work (MSW Application due April 1).

• May 1 - Apply for On-Campus Student Housing. Most law students choose to live off-campus. But if you intend to apply for on-campus housing, please do so as soon as possible and before the May 1 priority deadline. On-campus student housing is very limited.

  • As an alternative to Manoa Student Housing, you may apply for the East-West Center Student Affiliate opportunity described here.

  • As an additional resource, you can search the UH Manoa Off-Campus Housing Website for other accommodations.

June Deadlines

• June TBD - Harvard Zero-L: We are working to make this opportunity available to you in late Summer. 

You may find the course overview and syllabus at https://online.law.harvard.edu/course-overview/.

July Deadlines

• July 1 - Final Transcripts and/or Other Required Documents Submitted

  • Send Final Official Transcript to LSAC:  If you were accepted to the Law School before your final undergraduate degree was conferred, you must have an updated, final official transcript sent to LSAC by July 1. You may not register for classes without meeting this requirement. If you have questions about this requirement, please email lawadm@hawaii.edu.

  • Letters of Standing should be sent to the Law School Admissions Office by July 1 for Transfer/Visitors. Emailed letters from your law school registrar or administration are preferred.

• July 15 - Check Registration Status:  In preparation for registration that begins in August, log into MyUH and click on "View Holds on My Record."  You must resolve all health clearance or financial holds before you can register.  Some health holds clearance may take time to remove - see July 31 deadline below.

• July - Consider enrolling in the Student Health Insurance Program. Enrollment begins July TBD for an August 19, 2024 start date. The University has selected HMSA (Hawaii Medical Service Association, Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Hawaii) to provide medical health insurance for students. Please see Health Insurance for sample 2022-23 rates. To learn more and / or sign up for this plan, please visit the University Health Services website and see the HMSA Student Portal for information on health plans and enrollment. If you’ve received a financial aid package and would like to request a budget adjustment for the purchase of health insurance, please contact Heather Smith-Lee, Director of Law Student Financial Assistance, at smithhea@hawaii.edu. You will need to attach proof of your health plan enrollment.

• July TBD - Big Sibs.  Students are invited to request a Law School Big Sib. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to get to know a future classmate and to get candid answers to questions you may have about the Law School. Our student services team will email you when this is ready.

• Late July - August TBD at 4PM HST- We will contact deposited applicants to reserve one of a limited number of Zone 20 parking permits for purchase. In Fall 2024, the semester-long student permit cost is $234.  It allows you to park in the Zone 20 Lower Parking structure from 5 AM to Midnight. The permit is for your own use and is not transferable.  You will receive an email with instructions on payment and the payment deadline. Simply disregard the emails you will receive from UHM Commuter Services.  If you choose not get a Zone 20 parking permit, there are several locations in the surrounding community that offer discounted parking to UH students. See Off-Campus Parking.

The deadline to pay for the permit will be August TBD at 4PM HST (close of business.)  Online purchase instructions:

• • 1. Visit www.manoa.hawaii.edu/commuter

    2. Click on 'Purchase Permit' in the yellow banner.

    3. Select the first login option (UH Login) to access your parking account.

    4. Click on the 'get permits' button, select 'next', and if needed confirm your address information.

    5. Select the permit that you would like to purchase. This should be the Zone 20 Fall permit. Then click next to complete payment. 

    6. Once paid for, a confirmation email will be sent along with instructions for pickup.

Please do not delay if you know you will be purchasing a parking pass. We cannot extend the purchase window if you miss it. If you have any difficulty purchasing your parking pass, please contact lawadm@hawaii.edu before contacting the parking office to see if we may assist.

If you want a day-time campus parking permit for the following Spring, you must reserve your own parking permit at http://manoa.hawaii.edu/commuter/parking-permit-rates/ after you register for at least one Spring class in November.  You may want to set an alert/reminder/alarm on your phone/device/computer to remind you to register -- and request parking -- as soon as the registration process opens. On-campus parking is VERY limited, and parking permits will go VERY quickly. First come, first served. Parking permits are not transferable; any such transfer is subject to disciplinary action. For more information, please see http://manoa.hawaii.edu/commuter/parking-permit-rates/.

• July 31 - Remove Health holds. Health holds are automatically placed on the MyUH accounts of newly admitted, returning, or transfer students to the University of Hawaiʻi. To remove the holds, you must submit the Health Clearance Form to Med+Proctor using these instructions. If you are unable to locate your records, you may need to make an appointment with a doctor to update your immunizations. The TB Test must be conducted in the United States. Plan to submit your forms by August 1 to allow Med+Proctor time to process your submission before the first day of the semester. Those enrolled in Fully Online Programs are exempt from submitting Health Clearances. However, if you wish to participate in on-campus employment and/or activities, you will need to submit this.

August Deadlines

• Continuing - Submit any changes to your answers to the Character and Fitness questions on your application. 

• August TBD - Register for courses via STAR GPS Registration. Please do not register for classes  before you receive specific instructions via email from the Law School Registrar's Office (lawreg@hawaii.edu). NOTE: This date is subject to change.

• Full-Time Students - After you register and meet additional criteria, apply for the Manoa One Card (UH Student ID card). For more information, please see http://manoa.hawaii.edu/onecard/getyouronecard/.

• Law Library Technology Pre-Assessment Survey:  (Updated 7/26/2023) The goal is to assess your technology skills. You will be asked questions about general technology, office software like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat. 2024 survey is forthcoming.

• Law Library Access Card: Access to the Law Library outside of normal hours requires a Law Library access card. Additional details will be provided by the Library Director at the mandatory Orientation in August.

• August 12 - Plagiarism Lesson Form Due. The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) has developed a 45 minute, 15 question interactive lesson on Plagiarism, entitled “Plagiarism: Keeping Out of Trouble.” You must answer all 15 questions with a score of 100%.  If you initially completed the lesson and didn't earn 100%, and then you take it again and earn 100%, the score sheet will now show your updated score. 

• August 14, 15, 19 (Tentative) - Part-Time Online JD Mandatory Law Student Orientation Please plan to hold these dates. (Updated 3/20/2024)

• August 19-21 (Tentative) - Full-Time JD Mandatory Law Student Orientation Please plan to hold these dates. (Updated 2/13/2024)

•  August 15 - Tuition Due at 4:00 PM HST

  • You may pay in full or enroll in the 5 month payment plan on your MyUH to avoid a financial hold being placed on their account. If you are a financial aid recipient, you will have time to make your payment after funds are disbursed starting August 11 (approximately 10 days prior to the start of classes).  

•  August 26, 2024 - First Day of Class (Updated 2/7/2024)

Recommended/Optional

• Recommended:  Sign up for UH Alerts, the UH emergency notification system.

• Recommended:  Download the Manoa Guardian campus safety app. Search for "Rave Guardian" in your app store. 

• Recommended:  Complete CampusClarity, UH online student training program regarding sex- and gender-based violence.

• Check out future dates on the Law School Academic Calendar.

• Optional: Join the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and American Bar Association as a student members.  Use your UH ID as your JD number on the HSBA application.  HSBA membership cards will be sent out in September.

After you either pay your deposit or receive a financial aid package, you may set up your MyUH account.  MyUH is the University of Hawai‘i's information portal for students, faculty, and staff.  Click "Get a UH Username." (If you already have a UH username, you do not need to get another one. You can manage your existing username here.)

Your MyUH account gives you access to the following:

• Gmail (email account)

• MyUH portal (access your account information, including financial aid & class registration)

• STAR Database (track your progress towards graduation, transfer credits)

• SECE (look for on-campus employment and more)

• Laulima (communicate with your professors and complete class assignments; part-time online students may exclusively use the D2L platform)

If you have trouble getting a UH username, please see this list of common errors and suggested fixes.

• "Page cannot be displayed." The computer from which you are trying to access the UH username request page is on a secured network that doesn't allow network traffic through port 8888 (e.g., your work place). Please try to access the page from a personal or public computer instead of a computer in the secure environment.

• "We are unable to find a good match for your information. Metadirectory failed to find a good match on name, UH number and/or birth date." Please re-enter your information omitting your middle name, using your UH Number instead of your SSN in the Identification Number field, or typing your DOB in the correct format (mm/dd/yyyy). If the error persists, please email lawadm@hawaii.edu.

• "It appears that you are not currently affiliated with the University. If you believe this to be an error, please contact us. Error code 905." This message will appear if you try to get a username before you receive your financial aid package or before your deposit has been processed. Please allow 5-7 days for the Cashier's Office to process your deposit. If you have received a financial aid package or seven days have passed since we received your deposit, please email lawadm@hawaii.edu.

• "An unexpected error has been encountered. Please try again." If the error persists, please contact the UH Information Technology Services Help Desk at (808) 956-8883.

Your UH ID Number is a unique 8-digit identification number (e.g., 12345678) that is displayed on the class lists of your professors and will appear on your student ID card. If you do not know your UH Number, login to MyUH, click on the "My Profile" tab and find it under "MyUH Directory Information."

Your UH username followed by @hawaii.edu (e.g., lawadm@hawaii.edu) is your UH email address. Email is an official means of communication within the University and your hawaii.edu email address may be used for notification of legal action, financial notice, and academic or disciplinary action such as academic warning, probation, suspension, provided appropriate confidentiality and privacy of records are strictly maintained. Please check it regularly. You may check your UH email through MyUH or via Google@UH at http://gmail.hawaii.edu.

To forward the email you receive in your @hawaii.edu to another account (i.e., @gmail.com, @yahoo.com), log in, select the gear icon at the top right corner, select "See all settings", select "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" to add a forwarding address, and save changes.

Last updated 1/26/2024

• Harvard Zero-L: We are working to make this opportunity available to you in late Summer. 

You may find the course overview and syllabus at https://online.law.harvard.edu/course-overview/.

Below are additional Optional Summer Pre-Law School learning opportunities 

• Core Grammar for LawyersSM is an "online, self-directed learning tool designed to help law students, pre-law students, paralegal professionals, and practicing attorneys acquire the grammar and punctuation skills that are prerequisites to successful legal writing." A one-year subscription is currently $40. 

Sample Fall 2022 1L JD Class Schedule

1Ls and AJDs:  Most of you will register on or before August 11, 2023.  You will receive detailed instructions from the Law School Registrar's Office (lawreg@hawaii.edu) in early August 2023.  

TIPS

• Entering JDs and AJDs, if you do not receive a registration email from the registrar by August 10, please check your spam filter and add lawreg@hawaii.edu to your list of safe senders/address book. While the University of Hawai'i may have an earlier start date for registration, incoming law students will register on August 11.

• Enroll by August 15. The tuition payment deadline is August 17, 4:00 PM HST. You may either pay for your tuition in full or sign up for the University payment plan by that date. If you are a financial aid recipient, you do not need to make a payment, but you must double-check all requirements are complete in your MyUH Portal to ensure your financial aid disburses. The earliest financial aid can disburse is 10 days before the start of each semester.

• Entering 1Ls, you must take all your courses on a credit/no credit grading basis. After enrolling in each course, update your grading options to Credit/No Credit. See How to Change Grading Options.  

• Please note that your class sections are assigned and section assignment is subject to change. You must register for your assigned section. If there is a change in your assignment, you will be sent a separate email prior to Orientation with the updated information.  

•  You will learn more information at orientation about the 1L Richardson Access to Practice (RAP) 1.0, All Students Programming, and Academic Success Programming, Evening Student Programming, etc. You do not need to register for this programming. 

• Do not register for any additional classes. You may not register for additional coursework during your first year, but you can discuss this with the Associate Dean for Student Services once you are here and you have registered for your law classes at Orientation.

• If you will use Veteran Educational Benefits, you may register on August 11 as well.  After you register for classes, complete the VA Enrollment Certification Form. Email the completed form to lawreg@hawaii.edu. Allow 1-2 days for the Registrar to complete and return your form. The Registrar's Office will email you when the form is ready.  Then, submit the form via email to UH Mānoa Veterans Affairs office. For more information, see the Veterans Benefits application process webpage.

  • • Please note, the UHM Veteran's Affairs Office has released an online Graduate Students Enrollment Certification Form. Students may complete this online form or submit the paper form (linked above) for Fall 2023.

• After you register for your Fall classes and meet additional criteria, you may be eligible for your UH Mānoa ID card. 

Exceptions 

• Entering LLMs will receive separate registration instructions from Lori Downes, Assistant Director of International Programs.

• Unlike traditional 1Ls, entering AJDs will not receive advisory grades for their Fall semester courses. Entering AJD students must take their classes for letter grades.  

• A few of you won't be able to register because you have a health hold, international hold, or because LSAC hasn't received your final transcripts. We will hold your seat. 

• Students using UH faculty & staff tuition waivers must wait to register until during the Late Registration Period (Late August).  We will hold your seat. We will manually add you to your classes on Laulima, the University of Hawai‘i's online learning and collaboration system before you can register so that you don't miss anything posted there. 

Please note that you may need to be logged into your UH Gmail account to access the sample lists below.

2023 SAMPLE Textbook list (click here) List is subject to change.

Please note that The Bluebook listed under your Lawyering Fundamentals I course will be provided to you courtesy of a local law firm. You will not need to buy The Bluebook.

If you are planning to purchase your textbooks from the UH Mānoa Book Store, please note that most textbooks may not arrive until Orientation week. Please do not contact your professors or their faculty support persons directly with questions about the Bookstore.

The UH Mānoa Book Store will offer both new and used books (when used books are available), text books may also be available for rent. A buyback period at the end of each semester allows students to sell their used books to the bookstore for some cashback.

You also may find some texts at more affordable prices if you shop online. Here are links to several companies that sell law school textbooks. This list is not exhaustive and is provided for your convenience. The inclusion of a business on the list should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that business.

BigWords | CampusBooks | BarristerBooks| EBay | AbeBooks | Amazon | Alibris

2023 1L SAMPLE Schedule (click here). This is subject to change.

Full-Time Students: Please reference pages 1. Your courses will generally be between 10 AM - 4:35 PM, Monday through Thursday. Ulu Lehua Scholars may have a class on Friday morning.

Part-Time Students: Please reference page 2. Please note that while the Fall 2022 schedule shows a Monday-Wednesday schedule, incoming students should expect classes may also be held Monday-Thursday evenings in general. We anticipate the Fall 2023 courses will be Tuesday/Thursday in the evening.

If you registered between April and August: The tuition payment deadline is August 17, 2022 at 4:00 PM HST

View tuition rates.

For instructions on how to pay your tuition or enroll in a tuition payment plan, please visit the Records and Registration website.

If you are a financial aid recipient and have completed your requirements, your Fall 2023 financial aid should disburse ten days before the first day of class. Please contact Heather Smith-Lee at smithhea@hawaii.edu, if you have any questions regarding your financial aid.

Students Using CH 33 Post-9/11 Educational Benefits: Before the payment receipt deadline, submit the Tuition and Fees Agreement Form via email to UH Mānoa Veterans Affairs office or in person at QLC 010.

1L Syllabi & First Assignments

You will be able to find the PDFs of the 1L syllabi and required readings for almost all of the 1L classes in the Resource Google Drive provided before Orientation begins. These documents will also be added to the appropriate Laulima course site for each of your classes (see below).

Zoom Class URLs (TBD)

If this technology is being utilized for your class, you will be able to find recurring Zoom links to your classes on Laulima.

Laulima

Laulima is the University of Hawai‘i's online learning and collaboration system. Your professors *may* use it. Not all will. Once you have registered for a class whose professor uses Laulima, the class should appear when you log in.

If you haven't already, upload the same digital image as your official guide, Zoom, and Mānoa One card as your Laulima profile pic. Laulima is the UH course management system. Log in on Laulima with your hawaii.edu email address and password. Go to Home, Profile, Pictures. Add "new picture." 

*If you must register during the late registration period, we will manually add you to the Laulima class, before you can register so that you may access any of the items that are posted there.

Things That All Laulima Users Should Know 

Managing Laulima Course Tabs 

Please contact Heather Smith-Lee, Director of Law Student Financial Assistance, at smithhea@hawaii.edu with your questions about financial aid.

• Starting October 1: Complete the FAFSA. The priority deadline is February 1. Our federal school code is 001610.

• ASAP - Apply for need-based financial aid by completing the FAFSA. The priority deadline is February 1. Our federal school code is 001610.

If you completed the FAFSA more than ten days ago, please complete the following steps to determine why we may not have received it.

• Confirm that you added our federal school code (001610) to your FAFSA. See Add or Delete a School Code.

• View any outstanding requirements by accessing your online Student Aid Report (comments section).

• View any outstanding requirements by accessing your account in MyUH. See Applicants Selected for Verification.

• If you have any questions about financial aid after completing these steps, please contact Heather Smith-Lee, at smithhea@hawaii.edu 

• ASAP: Apply for resident tuition or a tuition exemption (e.g., military orders, Native Hawaiian ancestry, Pacific Island citizenship) by submitting your form to the office of Admissions (Heather is not involved in residency determinations). You must complete the form even if you were previously classified as a resident by the University of Hawai‘i. Admitted students are automatically packaged as nonresidents. If you are a resident or qualify for an exemption, please submit your Residency Declaration form as soon as possible. We will automatically update your financial aid package accordingly. Please give us 5-7 days to repackage you before you contact us. 

• Beginning in Late March: Receive a financial aid package email.

• Within 30 Days of Award: Accept or decline your financial aid package.

To review your financial aid package, please log in to MyUH and select "View My Financial Aid Information." Click on "My Overall Status of Financial Aid" and choose the correct school year. For more detailed instructions, see How to Review My Financial Aid Status.

TIPS:

• • • • You may accept or decline the full award, act on each award individually, or accept a partial amount.

      • You are not required to borrow the entire amount you have been offered. Please review your budget and borrow what you need.

      • You may accept financial aid without committing to attend our Law School. If you don't come to Richardson, we will cancel your Richardson financial aid package and make the funds available to other Richardson students.

• August 11: The earliest financial aid can be disbursed is 10 days before the start of each semester if 1) you completed your registration on August 9; and 2) other financial aid requirements (ex, Grad PLUS request, MPNs, entrance counseling) have been met. Any refunds will be generated after your account balance has been paid, and mailed to you or directly deposited into your bank account if you signed up for eRefunds. You may view your changes/make payment screen to track payments and refunds at MyUH.

*Additional Costs for attending Law School may be requested to be added to your financial aid (e.g. laptop, health insurance, etc.). Please contact Heather, smithhea@hawaii.edu, to report any additional costs or if you have any questions. Please note that proof of payment will be required. We will not adjust a budget to cover the cost of moving to Hawai‘i. The maximum budget adjustment for a laptop is $1681 (one time only).

Richardson Law School Merit Scholarships

The Law School has a very limited merit scholarship budget. The largest merit scholarship award for an entering JD student is $5,000 per year*.

When You Were Admitted: If you received a scholarship, you would have received an email from the Admissions Office when you were admitted.

When Your Scholarship Will Be Applied to Your Tuition: If you applied for financial aid, the scholarship will be automatically accepted to your aid and disbursed 10 days before the start of each semester. If you DID NOT apply for financial aid, the scholarship will automatically be added to your financial aid and disbursed 10 days before the start of each semester.

*After your first year in Law School, you may apply for additional Law School and University scholarships (ranging from $500 to $5,000) through STAR. Heather will email you when the STAR application becomes available.

Highly Recommended - ACCESSLEX

Financial Aid Office: 

ASK EDNA! - AccessLex created a student portal, Ask EDNA! - the Education Network at AccessLex. This will connect you to resources, insight, and information for every step of your law school journey at no cost to you. Your name, school email address, school, and class year are all you need to log in to the program, personalize your experience and track your progress. 

MEET MAX: MAX is a comprehensive personal finance program designed exclusively for law students and available at no cost. You will hear the organizational name, AccessLex, quite frequently throughout your time at Richardson. They are a nonprofit group that educates and supports our students' financial concerns for life during and after law school.  See  Welcome to MAX by AccessLex (2:51).

MAX was created by AccessLex based on the feedback from law students across the nation. This is for all incoming 1Ls, not just those with financial aid. Law school is expensive, and we want to make sure you are as informed as possible. 

Create your MAX Online Account now AccessLex.org/MAXonline.

• • Lessons are available and can be completed at any time

    • Understanding Your Financial Personality

    • Setting Your Financial Goals

    • Developing a Personal Spending Plan

    • The Power of Interest

  • Registering for MAX and participating in the online lessons and in person workshops gives you entries to the AccessLex Scholarships.  This academic year, AccessLex will award over $300,000 through scholarship drawings for students engaged in the program. 

  • Dedicate one hour each month to building your financial knowledge. More info will be provided at Orientation and Jennifer from AccessLex will be available in the Fall for updates and presentations. 

AccessLex Databank: Check out the Scholarship Databank. It's never too early to begin looking for "free money" for next year.

• Borrowing: Two Federal loans are available to graduate students. We encourage students to use funds from the Unsubsidized loan first due to the lower fixed interest rate and disbursement fee. The annual maximum is $20,500. If additional funds are needed, then students may use the offered Grad PLUS loan funds, this loan requires a credit check. Learn more about the types of financial aid available. 

• Get approved for the maximum amount for the Grad PLUS loan. Worried about the credit check from the Grad PLUS loan? Gaining approval for a specific amount ($1,000) amount is the same approval process for the maximum amount ($99,999). You can avoid additional credit checks and save time and energy once you are approved for the maximum amount for Fall and Spring. Getting approved for the maximum amount does not require you to borrow the maximum amount. Budget wisely.

• Sign up for eRefunds (refunds can be directly deposited into your checking or savings account). Fund disbursement to UH accounts begin on August 13. Don't wait for a paper check, get your financial aid refund faster by signing up for eRefunds. It can take up to 7 business days to verify your selected checking or savings account.  Log in to MyUH. Select or Search for "Enroll in Direct Deposit eRefunds."

• Explore external scholarships.  Great Hawai‘i organizations to tap into are Kamehameha Schools, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, local credit unions, etc.  If you receive any other form of financial assistance in addition to those shown on your award offer (e.g., University department tuition waivers, stipends, awards, external scholarships, etc.), you must notify Heather at smithhea@hawaii.edu immediately. Please include your UH ID number in your email. As required by federal regulations, an adjustment to your award(s) may be necessary to reflect the increase in your resources. Failure to notify Heather may delay your financial aid disbursement and/or may require you to repay the university.

NOTE:  If you receive any other form of financial assistance in addition to those shown on your Award Offer (e.g., Kamehameha/Hawai‘i Community Foundation/UH Foundation scholarships, University department tuition waivers, stipends, awards, outside scholarships etc.), you must notify Heather Smith-Lee at smithhea@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-5502 immediately. Please include your UH ID number in your email. As required by federal regulations, an adjustment to your award(s) may be necessary to reflect the increase of your resources. Failure to notify the Director of Student Financial Assistance may delay your financial aid disbursement and/or may require you to repay the university. 

Spring 2023 Clinical Legal Education Newsletter

Read more about the the Clinical Legal Education opportunities available at Richardson. See the latest newsletter at this link.

Hawaiʻi Law Review Podcast

• Check out the Hawaiʻi Law Review Podcast. Episodes 5 and 6 are available on Spotify.

  • Episode 6: Carving Your Own Path and Business Law in Hawaiʻi with Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi President and CEO Ms. Sherry Menor-McNamara - Sherry Menor-McNamara '05 shares her story and her chosen pathway at the intersection of business and law.

  • Episode 5: Women's Empowerment through Partnership with Miss Hawaiʻi 2021 Courtney Choy - Courtney Choy '21 shares her story and her work's mission of ensuring that the voices of women and girls are heard, especially in spaces that they are no always represented in.

It is not necessary to buy the latest and greatest expensive laptop for school. Computer manufacturers roll out new and better models every other month, it is impossible to keep up. In the worst case, the laptop will fail during your second year of law school and can be replaced with another inexpensive one. Shop around for deals from both local and online vendors (e.g. Dell, Lenovo, HP, BestBuy).

Suggested Minimum Laptop Configuration

Updated May 17, 2021

Processor (Computer Speed) - Intel Core i3/ AMD Ryzen 3  (10th Gen i3 or 7th Gen or higher i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 or higher recommended) 

Memory (RAM) - 4 GB (8 GB recommended)

Hard Drive (Storage Space) - 128 GB (minimum) 

Wireless (Internal) - 802.11 b/g/n/ac compatible 

Operating System (English-Language Only) - Windows 10/OS X 10.13 (High Sierra)

Recommended Software

PDF Software - Adobe Reader | Website Display - Sun Java | Cloud Storage - Google Drive | File Compression - 7-Zip 

Virus Protection - McAfee VirusScan | Word Processing - Microsoft Office Suite (See Below) 

Microsoft Office

• Most laptops do not come with Microsoft Office (or any other productivity software) unless you specifically added it to your laptop order. The Office suite can be purchased from the Microsoft website Office 365 University (1-Year Subscription of $69.99 or a one-time Purchase of $149.99).

• Or purchase from the UH Bookstore (One-time Purchase of $149.99)

A Special Note for Mac Users

• Law school exams are administered using the ExamSoft software, Examplify, and only genuine versions of Mac OS are supported.  You must have one of the following:10.13 (High Sierra), 10.14 (Mojave), or 10.15 (Catalina).

• Please visit the UH Bookstore for specials and discounts on hardware and software. Be sure to check out their hardware clearance section. As an enrolled UH student, you are entitled to a 10% educational discount at your local and online Apple stores. You will need to show your validated UH ID card at the Apple store to get the 10% discount.

 File Back-Up

• Always back up your important files! Every UH Gmail account comes with free Cloud Storage in the form of Google Drive. Take this opportunity to ensure all of your crucial files are backed up by downloading their application on Google Drive for desktop.

• Flash drives can also be used for backing up files as well as file transferring, making it a useful tool for every student.

• Recent 2022 alumna Turner Jane Wong blogged about her years at Richardson, and Turner has given us permission to share it with you. Turner in Law School "This blog has been my outlet to share stories, pictures, and thoughts. It's a platform for me to reflect. .... The majority of my class knows about the blog and actively supports it! I even got a guest post from a friend!" 

• Get a head start.  Read: 

  1. Mari J. Matsuda, Tribute: Chief Justice William S. Richardson (1919-2010): A Richardson Lawyer, 33 UNIV. HAW. L. REV. 61 (2010).

  2. Melody Kapilialoha Mackenzie, Ka Lama Kū O Ka No‘eau: The Standing Torch of Wisdom, 33 UNIV. HAW. L. REV. 3 (2011)

• Subscribe to the Law School’s weekly newsletter, Ke Kula Kanawai, by sending an email to law-kekula-l-subscribe-request@lists.hawaii.edu

• Check out the Law Library's 1L Survival Guide if you're looking for even more Summer Reading suggestions.

• Follow the Environmental Law Program (ELP) on Facebook and Twitter.  Email elp@hawaii.edu to join their mailing list.

• Follow Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law on Facebook.  Email nhlawctr@hawaii.edu to join their mailing list.

• Follow our Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Program (PALS) on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

International Student Visas 

Please coordinate with the International Programs Office (intlaw@hawaii.edu) as soon as you are admitted so that there is adequate time to complete and process any necessary paperwork and to obtain any needed visas. We will provide the appropriate forms and secure FileDrop for students to submit a copy of their passport biographic page and proof of financial support.

HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

1. The University requires that all international students maintain adequate medical health insurance and medical evacuation and repatriation coverage while attending UH.

2. See Health Insurance Requirement for F-1 International Student Visa Holders for information regarding your insurance requirements and to download the appropriate forms. It is important that prior to the fall semester each year, you check to make sure that your plan still meets the University's requirements. If the requirements change, any insurance that was acceptable in prior years may no longer be acceptable for the upcoming school year.

3. IMPORTANT: International students who are not enrolled in a health insurance plan that meets the University's minimum coverage requirements will be subject to University sanctions, including but not limited to registration/ID card holds, until enrollment is complete.

The University reserves the right to change coverage requirements in response to US or state law requirements, or in response to changing industry standards.

Zoom may be used for specific events or if there is a need for a class session to temporarily be remote. 

Zoom is a cloud-based video communications app that allows you to set up virtual video and audio conferencing, webinars, live chats, screen-sharing, and other collaborative capabilities. 

1. If you don't already have one, create a free Basic Zoom account.  

2. Link your Zoom account to your hawaii.edu email address.  For your security and privacy, many instructors will limit their classes to participants with hawaii.edu addresses. See How to Change Your Email ID on Zoom.

3. Change your Zoom name to your first and last names.  We encourage you to put your identifying pronouns after your last name.

First Name:  William

Last Name:  Richardson (he/him/his)

4. Upload the photo you submitted for the official Law School class photo roster and student photo guide as your Zoom profile picture when joining Law School classes and events.

5. Every time you log into Zoom, click on your profile picture, then “Check for Updates.” If there is a newer version, Zoom will download and install it.   The latest version of Zoom will always be the safest version of Zoom.  

6. Join a test Zoom meeting.

How to Look Great on a Webcam (1:31)  

5 Tips to Look Better on a Webcam (3:41)

What to Wear for Your Video Chat (1:10)

WSRSL Zoom Do's & Don'ts Video (1:37)

WSRSL How to Online Law School (4:41)

Zoom Etiquette 

• Raise your webcam to eye-level and speak into the camera to simulate eye contact;

• Mute yourself when you are not speaking;

• Use an uncluttered (and/or virtual) background; Look above and behind you: Turn off your ceiling fan, TV, and anything that may distract the viewer. Do not sit in front of a window: You'll be back-lit.

• Use earbuds or headphones for best audio;

• Shut down other applications for better video;

• Raise your real hand or virtual hand, or contact the host to be called on;

• When finished speaking, say “That’s all” or “Mahalo” or “I’m done” to indicate you are done speaking;

• Please don’t eat during the Zoom meeting (It’s not a good look.).  ;)

Here are additional suggestions from a fellow admitted student:  "Suggestions from experience, sorry so long.....Sit in a chair, lounging on the bed or couch in the video isn't a good look. Put on a shirt (not just an undershirt). If looking at yourself is distracting, turn your self-view off. If you are going to share a screen, make sure you have all other windows closed and nothing inappropriate, technology can fail and you don't want something showing up that you didn't intend (i.e. that you were online shopping when you should be paying attention) Be aware that on some platforms all chat even person to person can be downloaded and saved by both the host and in some cases, the participants, don't ever put something you wouldn't want others to see in the chat. If at all possible use your computer to connect, mobile devices while handy in a pinch don't usually give all the robust features of the desktop/laptop version of video conferencing and they don't often let you see the whole room."

ZOOM WORKSTATION

It is not too early to think about where and how you will set up your Zoom workstation for any online classes you will take in the Fall.  

Plan to join any online classes:

• • from a quiet, well-lit place;

  • in front of a plain background (blank wall, green screen, or plain virtual Zoom background);

  • dressed appropriately (business casual);

  • using earbuds or a headset;

  • using a webcam or camera phone at eye level.

Your laptop's built-in front-facing camera and microphone are well-suited to web conferencing/online classes. If your laptop camera doesn’t work, you may use your cell phone’s front-facing camera. Please consider placing your cell phone on a cell phone stand for $13. 

If you decide that you want to purchase an external microphone, please consider this USB Computer Microphone for $16.

If you decide that you want to purchase an external webcam, please choose one with a minimum of 720p Video.

Schedule as of 2/29/2024

Full-Time Students: Monday, March 11, 2024 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM HST

9:00-9:30 AM        Check in

9:30-10:00 AM      Welcome and Deans Messages (Moot Courtroom)**

10:00-10:20 AM    The Richardson Lawyer (Prof Troy Andrade)**

10:20-10:25 AM    Break

10:25-11:00 AM    Law School Tour with student ambassadors (in-person only)

11:00-12:00 PM    Law Student Panel** (Clinical Building Classroom)

12:00-12:45 PM    Lunch in small groups with Second and Third-Year Law Students

12:45-1:00 PM      Break & Class Prep

1:00-2:00 PM        Faculty/Law Student Activity

2:00-2:30 PM        Career/Student Services (Jill Gerard)**

2:30-3:00 PM        Admissions & Financial Aid (Loreto & Heather)**

**We plan to make these sessions will be available via Zoom. If you select this option below, a link will be emailed to you. 

Throughout the next several months, we will announce additional virtual panels with programs and professors that you may attend.

Suggested Attire

• Khakis or chinos (or other tropic-weight slacks) with loafers, and an aloha shirt, polo, and perhaps a light jacket. No suits or ties needed.

• Dresses, or slacks/skirts with blouse, and shoes or sandals.

For a visual, please click below for photographs of our University and community leaders and Law School faculty and students in Aloha attire at the 2019 dedication of our new clinical building https://www.uhfoundation.org/news/photos/william-s-richardson-school-law-clinical-building-dedication

Parking (for in-person)

We recommend parking in the Zone 20 Lower Campus parking structure. It is $5 for the day and passes may be purchased at the kiosks on Lower Campus Road. More information is available from UH Commuter Services at https://manoa.hawaii.edu/commuter/visitors/. If you will be dropped off, the school address is 2515 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822.

UH Law Review Symposium 2024: E Hoʻi ka Nani: Chief Justice Richardson’s Public Trust Legacy and Envisioning the Future of Wai. 

The one-day symposium event will honor Chief Justice Richardson’s legacy shaping the power and potential of the public trust for Hawaiʻi’s water future, especially in light of Maui’s recovery from the devastating August wildfires. Register to attend in person or via Zoom webinar at https://hawaiilawreview.com/symposium.

Asian-Pacific Law & Policy Journal Symposium 2024

APLPJ 25th Anniversary: APLPJ Through the Years will be held on on March 30, 2024. The symposium will celebrate APLPJ’s legacy by showcasing the contributions of our esteemed alumni working across various fields and practice areas that impact the Asia and Pacific region.

The symposium will take place at the William S. Richardson School of Law in Classroom 2 and on Zoom. To learn more and register, please visit: 17th APLPJ Symposium.