Please join us as the women of the federal bench – Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway, Judge Helen Gillmor, and Judge Leslie Kobayashi – share 1) the circumstances that brought them to seek a judicial seat; 2) the obstacles/challenges of the job; 3) a day in the life of a federal judge; and 4) whether the job is "family friendly."
Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway
Nominated by President Clinton, Susan Oki Mollway became a United States District Judge for the District of Hawaii in 1998. Before becoming a judge, she was with the Honolulu law firm of Cades Schutte, where she concentrated in commercial litigation. Judge Mollway also taught appellate advocacy at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii.
Judge Mollway was born and raised in Hawaii. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature from the University of Hawaii. She graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was the editor in chief of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review.
Judge Helen Gillmor
Helen Gillmor was appointed as a United States District Judge for the District of Hawaii on October 11, 1994 by President William Clinton and was Chief Judge from December 2005 to June 2009.
Judge Gillmor attended Queen’s College of the City University of New York where she received a B.A. in Political Science in 1965. She graduated from the Boston University School of Law, magna cum laude, in 1968, and served as Case Comment Editor of the law review.
Judge Gillmor was a law clerk to Chief Justice William S. Richardson of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. In addition to private practice prior to her appointment to the federal bench, she served as a Deputy Public Defender, and as a per diem state court judge in the Family and District Courts.
Judge Leslie Kobayashi
The Honorable Leslie E. Kobayashi was nominated by President Barack Obama on April 21, 2010 and confirmed by the United States Senate as a United States District Judge in the District of Hawaii on December 22, 2010. Prior to confirmation, Judge Kobayashi served as a United States Magistrate Judge (1999-2010) in the District of Hawaii. She was a practicing lawyer for 16 years, first serving as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the City and County of Honolulu (1983-1984), and then in private practice where she was a trial attorney and a managing partner (1984-1999), handling a variety of matters including personal injury, business disputes, labor and employment, medical and legal malpractice, and products liability. She received her B.A. degree from Wellesley College (1979) and her J.D. degree from Boston College School of Law (1983).
Attendance is free. Seating for this event is limited.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Please contact us at
hawaiiwomenlawyers@gmail.com with any questions.