Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Program
Pacific-Asian Legal Studies Program
photo courtesy of UH relations
Welcome to
Pacific-Asian Legal Studies
In keeping with Hawaiis location, culture and history, the School of Law
has long emphasized Pacific-Asian Legal Studies (PALS). Our Pacific-
Asian courses seem even more important as American law practice
becomes ever more globalized and they continue to provide a com-
parative perspective on the U.S. legal system, which we believe is valuable
for all our students. We offer a broad selection of courses on Pacific-
Asian legal issues: permanent faculty members teach courses on Chinese
and Japanese law and Native Hawaiian rights, and distinguished visitors
offer shorter specialty courses on Asian and Pacific law. We also encour-
age students to broaden their exposure to Asia and the Pacific through
externships, language training and law study abroad, as well as through
participation in area studies centers across the University of Hawaii- Located in a unique
Manoa campus.
island setting with a
Alison W. Conner
distinctive multi-ethnic
Director, International Programs
Our Pacific-Asian Law Program
The School of Law offers more courses on Asian law than virtually any
other law school, and we are the only American law school to teach Native
Hawaiian and Pacific Islands law. Our students may take general Asian
comparative and international law courses or choose from specialized
courses on Chinese, Japanese or Pacific law. Every year we also offer
short courses taught by Asian visitors. recent courses have included
Administrative Law in Japan, Law in the Philippines, Introduction to Law
in Taiwan, Korean Law, and Legal Reform and Legal Education in Japan.
Students who have Asian-Pacific research interests may work with faculty
members in directed study courses, as well as write their second-year sem-
inar papers on Asian-Pacific topics.
we are the only law school to teach of invaluable historical, legal, and tradi-
Native Hawaiian legal issues and one tional and customary materials. It also
of the few that focuses on the rights of offers new courses and supports Native
indigenous peoples. Every year we offer Hawaiian law students as they pursue
a course on Native Hawaiian Rights and legal careers and leadership roles. In
a Native Hawaiian Rights Clinic. The October 2005, the Center held its inau-
clinic handles issues of importance to gural conference, a three-day symposium
the Native Hawaiian community, such on Traditional and Customary Rights of
as a case involving the religious rights Indigenous Peoples in Modern Legal
of Hawaiians incarcerated in Oklahoma Systems, co-sponsored by the Ahahui
prisons. In 2005, the School of Law O Hawaii. A key project of the Center
established a new Center for Excellence is the creation of an online archive of
in Native Hawaiian Law under a fed- Hawaiian legal and historical materials
eral grant administered by the U.S. to make them readily accessible to
Professor Jon Osorio discusses Native Hawai-
Department of Education. The Center law students, lawyers and the general
ian sovereignty at the 2005 meeting of the
focuses on education, research, com- community.
American Society of Comparative Law.
munity outreach and the preservation
Photo courtesy of UH Information Technology Services
When I applied to law schools,
I wanted to find a school that
paid more than lip service to
teaching Chinese law. The
PALS faculty really delivered.
The courses are numerous and
fantastic. Our location in the
middle of the Pacific, and right
PALS Certificate across the street from the East-
To recognize students who concen- might concentrate on Pacific Islands
West Center, allows students to
trate in Pacific-Asian law, we award and Hawaiian legal issues. They may
receive credit for approved externships tap into a seemingly bottomless
certificates of achievement. Students
working towards a certificate may in Asia or the Pacific, as well as for pool of mentors and research
choose to focus on Asian and business- related courses taken in other gradu- expertise.
related topics, for example, or they ate programs in the University.
Larissa Schwartz, Class of 2006.
PALS COURSES
Our PALS courses for 2005 2006 illustrate the exceptional breadth and depth
of our program in Pacific-Asian law.
Externships
We actively support the participation
of students in externships in Asia and Recent Externships
the Pacific as part of their law school Cambodia Legal Aid
program. PALS students have recently Taiwan Law Firms
traveled to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Thailand Law Firms
Kong, India, Cambodia, Belau and the
Hong Kong HKU Center for
Federated States of Micronesia, where Public and Comparative Law
they have worked for a wide range of Japan US Embassy
organizations, including judges offices,
Guam Judiciary
law firms, United Nations agencies and
American Samoa Judiciary
I found my externship to NGOs. Within the last few years, for
Thailand UN
example, PALS students have complet-
be one of the most valu- ed externships with law firms in Tokyo, Micronesia Judiciary
Taipei and Bangkok, as well as with Hong Kong Law Firms
able components of my
human rights groups in Cambodia, New Zealand Law Firms
law school experience. My Dharamsala and Hong Kong. Students
project focused on demo- may do an externship during the sum-
mer or, with approval, may spend a
cratic development in Hong semester abroad in Asia or the Pacific.
Kong, specifically the role
Dual Degrees
of the functional constitu- Law students may formally integrate
Scholarships
ency seats in the Legislative their law school study with graduate
We award Pacific-Asian Scholarships
work in other schools and colleges of
Council. The independence to qualified law students who have
the University and thereby receive both
demonstrated special interest, experi-
that came with creating my the JD degree and another graduate
ence or expertise in Asia or the Pacific.
degree or certificate. Students who
own plan of study lent a Students may be considered for one of
participate in this program may reduce
these awards when they submit their
feeling of adventure to the their total degree requirements by
law school application or after they
receiving up to ten law school credits
semester, as did navigating have been admitted. In addition, the
for approved graduate-level courses.
Kashiwagi Fund for Japanese Studies
the streets of Hong Kong! Although students must apply to and
provides grants to students as well as
be admitted to both programs, they
It was also exciting to work faculty members to support the study
can then receive both degrees earlier
of topics in Japanese law.
alongside leaders in the than if they had enrolled in the two
Law students who pursue Asian or degree programs separately.
field, and the meaningful- Pacific language study are eligible for
Approved programs include the
ness of the experience ulti- the Universitys Foreign Languages
MA in Asian Studies, which allows a
and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships.
mately provided me with concentration in one of the regions
Our students may also be eligible to
represented by the School of Hawaiian,
a deep sense of personal apply for East-West Center support.
Asian and Pacific Studies: Japan,
The Centers graduate degree fellow-
accomplishment. China, Korea, Southeast Asia or the
ships are available to students who
Pacific. A new certificate program also
wish to participate in its educational
Christopher Chaney, enables PALS students to combine
Class of 2005.
and research programs while pursu-
special language and interdisciplinary
ing graduate study at the University
study with their law degree, or they
of Hawaii. Application deadlines are
might enroll in the MBA program of
in late October or early November
the College of Business Administration,
for the following academic year and
which is recognized for its internation-
are described on the Centers website
al business education and offers MBAs
www.eastwestcenter.org.
with a focus on China or Japan.
LLM students at the Universitys
Campus Center.
Meet Our Pacific-Asian
Law Faculty
Our core PALS faculty members are actively engaged in current Asian and
Pacific legal issues and bring an unusual depth of Asian-Pacific expertise
to their courses. They are recognized nationally and internationally for
their scholarship, which they combine with extensive real-world experi-
ence. Committed to teaching as well as to research, they remain in our
Law schools tradition exceptionally accessible to students.
Williamson
B.C. Chang (AB,
Princeton, 1972;
JD, University of
California, Berkeley,
1975), who was born
and raised in Hawaii, is a recognized
expert on Native Hawaiian issues and
has served as principal investigator
on research projects examining water Faculty photos courtesy of UH Relations.
rights in Hawaii.
The facultys sophisticated
knowledge of Asian and
Katherina Heyer Melody Kapilialoha Pacific legal systems is
(BA, Smith College, MacKenzie (BA, surpassed only by the
1988; PhD, University with honors, Beloit
of Hawaii, 2002) College, 1970; JD, breadth of their collective
holds a joint appoint- University of Hawaii, understanding of the region
ment in the Law 1976) is a Native
School, the Department of Political Hawaiian law expert and Hawaiian as a whole. Their deep
Science and the Center on Disability rights attorney who has taught the interest in the area, com-
Studies. Having earlier studied Native Hawaiian Rights Clinic course
Japanese language and culture in since 2000. She has participated in bined with the Law Schools
Kyoto, she spent a year in Tokyo doing many conferences and symposia relat- small class size, results in
fieldwork for her PhD dissertation, ing to Native Hawaiian legal issues and
Rights on the Road: Disability Politics is the inaugural director of the Law an accessibility that pro-
in Germany and Japan. Schools new Center for Excellence in vides a rich and supportive
Native Hawaiian Law.
Mark A. Levin learning environment.
(BBA, high distinc- Jon Van Dyke (BA,
tion, University of cum laude, Yale Brent Renison
Michigan, 1980; University, 1964; JD, Class of 1996
JD, Yale Law cum laude, Harvard Partner, Tonkon Torp LLP
School, 1983; LLM, Law School, 1967) is Adjunct Associate Professor,
University of Washington, 1990) is an expert on consti- University of Oregon School
of Law
a Japanese law expert who taught tutional law as well as international,
law for several years at Hokkaido ocean and Pacific Islands law. He has
University before joining our faculty. published extensively on international
He writes on the regulation of smok- law, law of the sea, and international
ing and tobacco enterprises in Japan, human rights, and he speaks fre-
legal education in Japan, and the legal quently at international meetings
circumstances of race and indigenous and conferences. Professor Van Dyke
peoples in Japan. supervises the Law Schools highly suc-
cessful Jessup International Law Moot
Court team and is currently an adjunct
research associate at the East-West
Center.
Because Asia and the Pacific are so Visiting Faculty
central to our mission, many other Each year the School of Law invites dis-
colleagues engage in research and tinguished visitors from Asia and the
teaching related to Pacific-Asian legal Pacific to teach short-term specialized
issues. David Callies, for example, has courses in its PALS curriculum. Recent
surveyed land and environmental laws visitors have included Professors
throughout the Asian region and has Chongko Choi and Keun-Gwan Lee
lectured on land use and property law of Seoul National University. Professor
in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan Takashi Maruta of Kwansei Gakuin
and Australia. John Barkai teaches University and Professor Hiroko
classes in international negotiation and Hayashi of Fukuoka University have
intercultural negotiation, with a focus both taught specialized courses in
on Asia; he has taught ADR in Japan, Japanese law in the last few years.
Vice Dean Wang Zhenmin of
Hong Kong, Korea and Micronesia. During the 20052006 academic
Tsinghua Law School taught Chinese
Constitutional Law in Spring 2006.
Danielle Conway-Jones, who special- year, we welcomed Professor Koh
izes in intellectual property, has spo- Kheng Lian, an environmental law
ken at conferences in China, Mongolia, expert from the National University of
and Micronesia, and has written on the Singapore, Professor Wang Zhenmin,
rights to traditional knowledge. Justin a constitutional law expert from
Levinson, who joined our faculty in Tsinghua University in Beijing, and
2004, pursues research on cultural psy- Professor M. J. Anthony Cooray of
chology and law, with a focus on Asia, the City University of Hong Kong.
particularly China; he has also served
as a visiting assistant professor at
Peking University.
Former Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice
William S. Richardson and Dean Aviam Soifer
pose with January-term Professor Patricia Zell
and visiting Fulbright Scholar Jae-Hyup Lee.
Professor Hiroko Hayashi of
Fukuoka University taught Gender
Law in Japan in Fall 2005.
photo courtesy of the HSBA
PALS Student Activities
Every year our JD program attracts a remarkably talented and diverse
group of students, many of whom have lived and worked in Asia and
have strong research or practical interests in Asian and Pacific studies.
In 2005, ten of our graduating students (about 10% of the class) earned
PALS certificates, and many more students enrolled in PALS courses.
This creates a strong community of shared interests, and our students
have an opportunity to work on projects with their classmates in a host
of PALS activities, including a law journal, moot court teams and other
student organizations.
Ahahui O Hawaii
The Ahahui O Hawaii is an organiza-
tion of Native Hawaiian students,
students interested in issues that affect
the Native Hawaiian community, and
graduates of the School of Law. The
Hui strives to educate the law school
and broader community about legal
issues affecting Native Hawaiians
and Hawaii, including traditional and
customary rights, sovereignty, and
currrent cases and legislation.
Moot Court Teams Student Organizations
PALS students are eligible for the Pacific-Asian Legal Studies
School of Laws moot court teams, Organization
including the Philip C. Jessup
The Pacific-Asian Legal Studies
International Law Moot Court team,
Organization (PALSO) is committed to
which participates in the annual
promoting understanding of Pacific-
competition co-sponsored by the
Asian legal systems. PALSO sponsors
American Society of International Law
a series of lectures by speakers from
and the International Law Students
the local bar and academic community
Association. The competition requires
as well as from Pacific Rim countries
students to brief and argue a hypothet-
and the U.S. mainland. The organiza-
ical case on issues of international law,
tion also sponsors an overseas sum-
and team members receive a course
mer study program seminar, a career
credit for their participation. PALS
seminar for law school students and
students have also participated in the
many social activities throughout the
annual Native American Moot Court University of Hawaii
academic year.
Competition, which offers similar Filipino Law Students
opportunities to improve brief-writing
Association
and advocacy skills.
The University of Hawaii Filipino Law
The School of Law has a tradition Students Association was formally
of strong support for its moot court organized in 1981 to commemorate the
teams, and they have consistently seventy-fifth anniversary of the arrival
excelled in competition. The Jessup of the first Filipinos in Hawaii. It is
team, for example, has won the region- dedicated to meeting the growing need
al title six times in the last eight years, of the Filipino community for better
and in 1993 the School of Law team legal representation in the mainstream
won the national competion; team of Hawaii.
members have often won best oralist
and best brief prizes. Although our From our Chinese New Year
teams have participated in the Native party to the many internation-
American Moot Court Competition
for a relatively short time, in 1998 a ally renowned speakers we
law school team finished second in host at our law school, PALSO
the overall ranking. In both 1999 and
2000 the Law School captured the provides students with a
national championship. The schools variety of opportunities to
International Environmental Moot
Court team also won the national explore their interests in
championship in 2002. Pacific-Asian legal studies.
Nathan Okubo, PALSO President,
Class of 2006
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Asia and the Pacific in Hawaii
The University In addition, the Universitys College
The University of Hawaii is deeply of Business Administration, which
committed to its international pro- emphasizes the development of
grams, and the PALS program is sup- global business skills, has long been
ported by the Universitys excellent recognized for its Asian-Pacific focus.
area centers for Chinese, Japanese, The College sponsors the Asia-Pacific
Korean, Pacific Islands, Southeast Center for Executive Development, the
Asian, Philippine and Hawaiian Asia-Pacific Center for International
Studies. The Universitys School of Business Education and the Pacific-
Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Studies Asian Management Institute.
(SHAPS) coordinates the teaching and Its website is at www.cba.hawaii.
research efforts of some 300 faculty edu.
specialists, who offer more than
600 courses relating to those areas;
SHAPS has become the largest The East-West Center
resource faculty for Asian and Pacific
The East-West Center is an inter-
studies in the world.
nationally recognized research and
The centers sponsor research seminar educational institution founded by the
series, graduate student conferences U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen
and many other activities related to relations and understanding among
Asia and the Pacific. The University the countries of Asia, the Pacific and
also offers instruction in an extensive the U.S. The Center, which sponsors
range of languages and is especially international exchanges, conferences
strong in Asian-Pacific languages. and training programs, is located near
Students may choose from courses the School of Law on the Manoa cam-
photos courtesy of UH relations
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and Security. The Center presents Hawaii also offers the opportunity to
seminars and colloquia on topics relat- live in a multicultural environment
ed to Asia and the Pacific, and main- rich in the traditions of many peoples;
tains an active arts and performance its ties to Asia are especially strong.
calendar. Through its Pacific Islands Migration from Japan, China, the
Development Program, the Center also Philippines, Korea, Vietnam and the
sponsors a wide range of activities to South Pacific has added to our strong
enhance the quality of life in the Pacific multi-ethnic tradition and has helped
Islands. create an unusually diverse popula-
tion. Honolulu has a small but vibrant
Law students are eligible to live in EWC
Chinatown, a wide variety of Asian
graduate housing, and those with a
restaurants and markets, and a host
specialty in Asian and Pacific studies
of traditional cultural activities and
may also be eligible to participate in its
festivals that take place throughout
student affiliate program or may qual-
the year.
ify for an East-West Center graduate
fellowship. The Law School works on Hawaiis cultural and artistic tradi-
cooperative projects with the Center, tions are represented in many local art
which co-sponsored the 2005 annual museums and galleries. The Bishop
meeting of the American Society of Museum, for example, is renowned for
Comparative Law here at the School its collection of Hawaiian and Pacific
of Law. Island artifacts and materials. the larg-
est museum in the state, it is the lead-
You can read more about the Center
ing natural and cultural history institu-
and its activities on its website at Hawaii, is the highlight of these activi- tion in the Pacific. Both the Honolulu
www.eastwestcenter.org. ties, but Hawaiian music and hula per- Academy of Arts and the newly-opened
formances can be found at many ven- Hawaii State Art Museum also hold
ues around Oahu all year. The School large collections of Hawaiian and
Our Community of Law has its own hula troupe, which Asian art. On campus, the John Young
In recent years, Hawaiian music and performs at school events such as grad- Museum of Art houses an outstanding
dance have enjoyed a broad renais- uation. Students and faculty members collection of artifacts from Asia and
sance throughout the islands. The are welcome to participate and learn the Pacific, and the Universitys Art
annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, more about Hawaiian culture. Gallery and the East-West Center fre-
held each spring on the Big Island of quently offer special exhibitions.
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OTHER LINKS
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University of Hawaii at Manoa
William S. Richardson School of Law
www.hawaii.edu/law
An equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
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