Overview
Applicants
785
Acceptance Rate
33%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.54
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
101
Test Scores
LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
153 - 159
Deadlines
Application Deadlines
April 1
Application Process
Rolling Admissions
Yes
Application Fee
$75
CAS Service Used
Yes
Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No
Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes
Deferred Admission
Yes
Other Admission Factors
Academic
LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Letters of Recommendation
Essay / Personal Statement
Selectivity Rating
Faculty Information
Student/Faculty
7:1
Total Faculty
45
50
Underrepresented Minorities
42
Female
Students Say
Located in beautiful Hawaii, the William S. Richardson School of Law is a 鈥渞egional law school鈥 where students 鈥渉ave access to some of the best faculty in the field.鈥 Manoa is known for its 鈥渟mall student body鈥 and 鈥渧ery accessible faculty.鈥 Students praise the 鈥渃ollaborative nature of the students and faculty.鈥 At Manoa 鈥渟tudents are seen as valid contributors to the school and are given broad range to explore and introduce new topics in the field of law.鈥 Students appreciate the 鈥渓arge selection of moot court teams to participate in鈥 and the 鈥渢ight-knit community on the islands,鈥 which 鈥渁llows for amazing access to professionals in the field, such as the judges, big law firms, and politicians.鈥
Being 鈥減art of the law school is being part of a family for life,鈥 says one student. 鈥淲e all feel welcomed into the Hawaii legal community from the first day of 1L orientation,鈥 says one student. And one of the greatest strengths of the school is the way in which 鈥渟tudents in each class support each other. As one student notes, 鈥渆ven 鈥榞unners鈥 are polite and helpful to others.鈥 Unlike at so-called 鈥渃ut-throat schools,鈥 at Manoa, 鈥渁ggressive behavior and sabotage are frowned upon and generally do not happen.鈥
The professors 鈥渁re all well-versed in their fields鈥 and 鈥渁ctive practitioners and scholars.鈥 Most teachers 鈥渁re more than willing to speak with you,鈥 and 鈥渉ave open door policies,鈥 although not all may not be willing to 鈥渆ngage in mentor-style relationships.鈥 While some students rave about the faculty, others wish there were more 鈥渉eavy hitters鈥 since students 鈥渘eed strong recommenders when they come from lesser known institutions.鈥 Given Manoa鈥檚 鈥済eographic location, however, [it has] some of the finest environmental law professors,鈥 and 鈥減restigious guest lecturers and speakers are prevalent because no one minds coming to Hawaii.鈥 In courses for specialized fields, the 鈥渢eacherto-student ratio is very favorable,鈥 sometimes 鈥渓ess than 1:10.鈥 The school has a 鈥渧ibrant international LLM program, which allows law students from all over the globe to collaborate and exchange ideas.鈥 There is a 鈥渉eightened focus on ASEAN through the ASEAN Law Integration Center,鈥 鈥淐hina, Japan, and Korea through [the] Pacific Asian Law and Society Certificate,鈥 as well as the 鈥淧acific Asian Law and Society Organization鈥 and the 鈥淎sia Pacific Law and Policy Journal.鈥 Manoa also features 鈥渘umerous moot court teams,鈥 and 鈥渢hey all do extremely well on a national level (especially [the] Jessup team).鈥 As a 2L notes, 鈥淚f you want to make changes in the world, this is the law school to come to.鈥
The 鈥渁dministration is wonderful鈥 and 鈥渟upportive of each student鈥檚 success and career path.鈥 Externships, internships, and jobs are 鈥渘umerous and relatively easy to procure.鈥 It鈥檚 extremely 鈥渆asy to get involved鈥 and 鈥渘etworking is very important to the administration and students, so networking events are very common.鈥 The 鈥渓arger legal community [of Hawaii] is actively involved with our education,鈥 notes one student. And 鈥渓awyers and judges regularly provide guidance and opportunities for [Manoa] students.鈥
Being 鈥減art of the law school is being part of a family for life,鈥 says one student. 鈥淲e all feel welcomed into the Hawaii legal community from the first day of 1L orientation,鈥 says one student. And one of the greatest strengths of the school is the way in which 鈥渟tudents in each class support each other. As one student notes, 鈥渆ven 鈥榞unners鈥 are polite and helpful to others.鈥 Unlike at so-called 鈥渃ut-throat schools,鈥 at Manoa, 鈥渁ggressive behavior and sabotage are frowned upon and generally do not happen.鈥
The professors 鈥渁re all well-versed in their fields鈥 and 鈥渁ctive practitioners and scholars.鈥 Most teachers 鈥渁re more than willing to speak with you,鈥 and 鈥渉ave open door policies,鈥 although not all may not be willing to 鈥渆ngage in mentor-style relationships.鈥 While some students rave about the faculty, others wish there were more 鈥渉eavy hitters鈥 since students 鈥渘eed strong recommenders when they come from lesser known institutions.鈥 Given Manoa鈥檚 鈥済eographic location, however, [it has] some of the finest environmental law professors,鈥 and 鈥減restigious guest lecturers and speakers are prevalent because no one minds coming to Hawaii.鈥 In courses for specialized fields, the 鈥渢eacherto-student ratio is very favorable,鈥 sometimes 鈥渓ess than 1:10.鈥 The school has a 鈥渧ibrant international LLM program, which allows law students from all over the globe to collaborate and exchange ideas.鈥 There is a 鈥渉eightened focus on ASEAN through the ASEAN Law Integration Center,鈥 鈥淐hina, Japan, and Korea through [the] Pacific Asian Law and Society Certificate,鈥 as well as the 鈥淧acific Asian Law and Society Organization鈥 and the 鈥淎sia Pacific Law and Policy Journal.鈥 Manoa also features 鈥渘umerous moot court teams,鈥 and 鈥渢hey all do extremely well on a national level (especially [the] Jessup team).鈥 As a 2L notes, 鈥淚f you want to make changes in the world, this is the law school to come to.鈥
The 鈥渁dministration is wonderful鈥 and 鈥渟upportive of each student鈥檚 success and career path.鈥 Externships, internships, and jobs are 鈥渘umerous and relatively easy to procure.鈥 It鈥檚 extremely 鈥渆asy to get involved鈥 and 鈥渘etworking is very important to the administration and students, so networking events are very common.鈥 The 鈥渓arger legal community [of Hawaii] is actively involved with our education,鈥 notes one student. And 鈥渓awyers and judges regularly provide guidance and opportunities for [Manoa] students.鈥
Career overview
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
87%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
87%
Career Services
On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes
On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes
# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
35
Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Hawai`i State Judiciary; Bays Lung Rose & Holma; Cades Schutte; Damon Key Leong Kupchak & Hastert; Kobayashi, Sugita & Goda; Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher; McCorriston Mukai Miller; Department of the Prosecuting Attorney (Honolulu); Department of the Attorney General (Hawai`i); Office of the Public Defender (State of Hawai`i)
Graduates Employed by Area
43%
Private Practice
24%
Judicial Clerkships
12%
Government
11%
Business/Industry
5%
Academic
4%
Public Interes
Graduates Employed by Region
87%
Pacific
4%
MidWest
3%
International
2%
Mid-Atlantic
2%
South
1%
South West
1%
New England
Prominent Alumni
Rom A. Trader
Magistrate Judge, United States District Court District of Hawai`i
Sabrina S. McKenna
Associate Justice, Hawai`i State Supreme Court
Lisa M. Ginoza
Chief Judge, Hawai`i State Intermediate Court of Appeals
Keone Nakoa
United States Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs
John Waihee
former Governor of Hawai`i
Dates
Financial Aid Rating
Apr 18
Application Deadlines
Jan 20
Financial Aid Statistics
Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$29,441
% Students Receiving Some Aid
81%
Expenses per Academic Year
In-State Tuition
$22,392
Out-Of-State Tuition
$45,816
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$16,870
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$16,870
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$1,350
Fees
$772
Student Body Profile
Total Enrollment
330
Parent Institution Enrollement
17,490
Number of Foreign Countries Represented
5
Average Age at Entry
27
% Out-of-State
24%
% International
4%
Demographics
68.70%
% Under-represented Minorities
80% are full time
20% are part time
62% female
38% male
Campus Life
Students Say
Students at Manoa have access to all the beauty of Hawaii, from the mainland to beaches and neighboring islands. Island life does have some drawbacks, including slow Internet access. But even though some students bemoan the slow Internet, others note that they 鈥渉ave a very decent computer lab that always has open computers,鈥 and 鈥済ood law librarians who are always willing to help.鈥 As one student says, 鈥渨hat we lack in terms of facilities and diversity we make up for in community, support and opportunity.鈥 Students feel close to each other here. Everyone at Manoa 鈥渞ecognizes that they鈥檙e in it together,鈥 鈥渘ot just in school but in the small law community of Hawaii after graduation.鈥 The 鈥渃ohorts are very tight鈥 and they 鈥渕ake it a point to look out for each other.鈥
More Information
% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%
Admissions Office Contact
Contact
Loreto Coloma Jr.
Acting Director of Admissions
Acting Director of Admissions
Address
2515 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822-2350
Honolulu, HI 96822-2350
Phone
(808) 956-3479
Email
lawadm@hawaii.edu
