Hilo Attorneys Honored for Giving Absolutely free Legal Consultations Throughout the Pandemic

Thirty-just one Large Island lawyers were identified for their volunteer perform on the virtual Hilo Self-Assistance Heart.

The group was acknowledged in July at the Hawaiʻi County Bar Association’s digital Hilo Self-Help Heart Recognition Awards. The lawyers presented extra than 470 free consultations to individuals who sought authorized help in 2020.

“I am deeply grateful to the lawyers who volunteer at our Self-Assist Facilities, aiding people who are representing themselves in court,” said Hawaiʻi Supreme Court docket Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. “The dedication and commitment of these lawyers continue to be an crucial aspect of our state’s capacity to advance the goal of ensuring that every person has equivalent access to justice in our civil courts. I thank the Hawaiʻi County Bar Association, Hawaii State Bar Association, the Authorized Assist Culture of Hawaiʻi, and all the volunteer lawyers for producing this source available to the neighborhood.”

The Hilo Self-Support Heart was established in July 2012. Since opening, volunteer attorneys have furnished additional than 7,100 lawful consultations on a wide range of civil matters, together with divorce, baby custody, restraining orders, and landlord/tenant issues.

To date, this center has served much more persons than any other courthouse self-assist center in the condition. These providers have been supplied at almost no cost to taxpayers.

“Despite the short term closures of the Self-Enable Centers statewide in the beginning of the pandemic, we have been able to reopen in Hilo to resume provider to the community on a new and distant system,” claimed Hawaiʻi County Bar Affiliation President Michelle Oishi. “Thanks to the robust motivation of our lawyers, the Hilo Self-Support Heart proceeds to deliver the considerably-desired lawful support to our neighborhood, and stays 1 of the most active Self-Enable Facilities, for each capita, in Hawaiʻi.”

The lawyers honored for their company in 2020 are: Kimberly Angay, Belinda Castillo-Hughes, Paul Hamano, Jill Hasegawa, Raymond Hasegawa, William Heflin, Charles Hite, Ha’aheo Kaho’ohalahala, Jo Kim, Nelson Kinoshita, Laura Knudsen, Al Konishi, Demetri Lametti, Shaunda Liu, Craig Masuda, Kai McGuire, Jacky Mena, Jeffrey Ng, Michelle Oishi, Melody Parker, Jill Raznov, Pleasure San Buenaventura, Scott Shishido, Evans Smith, Andrew Son, Roland Talon, Jessica “Jaycee” Uchida, Sylvia Wan, Jennifer Wharton, J Yoshimoto, and Jennifer Zelko-Schlueter.

In 2020, the Hilo Self-Assistance Center was managed by volunteer attorney Invoice Heflin with the help of Christy Peace, an AmeriCorps Advocate by the Legal Help Society of Hawaiʻi.

Attorneys who are intrigued in volunteering at the Hilo Self-Aid Middle may speak to Jacky Mena at [email protected].

Attorneys who would like to develop into involved with the Kona Self-Assistance Heart may possibly make contact with Maya Scimeca, Authorized Support Culture of Hawaiʻi’s Engagement Specialist, at [email protected].

Take a look at the Hawaiʻi Point out Judiciary web-site for far more information and facts on the courthouse Self-Aid Centers.