Hawaii judge could become only Native Hawaiian woman on federal bench

Sep. 6—Shanlyn A.S. Park, a longtime attorney and state court judge, has been nominated to serve as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii.

Park was among nominees recommended to President Joe Biden by U.S. Sens. Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, as well as a merit-based Federal Judicial Selection Commission.

"With decades of experience practicing law in Hawaii — including nearly two decades as a public defender — Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park has shown herself to be fair, impartial, and well suited to serve as a federal judge," said the senators in a news release. "Judge Park's nomination reflects the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to building a federal judiciary that reflects the diversity and lived experiences of our communities, including the Native Hawaiian community. We're glad the President has nominated her to continue serving Hawaii and our country, and look forward to working with our Senate colleagues to confirm her."

Park, a graduate of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, has been a state court judge on the First Circuit Court on Oahu since 2021.

From 2017 to 2021, she worked at the Honolulu law firms McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon, L.L.P. and Gallagher Kane Amai & Reyes.

Prior to that, she served 20 years as an assistant federal public defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Hawaii, and before that worked one year in private practice at Hisaka Stone & Goto.

She served as a law clerk for Judge Francis I. Yamashita, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Hawaii. She also holds a Bachelor's degree, cum laude, from Chaminade University in Honolulu.

If selected, Park would become the only Native Hawaiian woman on the federal bench, the senators said in the release.