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After we left Andrews Amphitheater and the primary UH graduation ceremony, we scrambled to prepare for the bar exam. One comment on the bar exam results later stated that perhaps not all of us were equally scrambling! The summer of 1976 was quite busy and eventful! Early that year, we heard and received promotions from both the local Hawaii Bar Review (BAR) and BRC from California. The BRC acronym stood for "The Josephson Bar Review Center of America." Josephson still offers Bar review courses and BAR may still exist. Both courses had a class representative. The BRC cost was $325, but discounted to $225 if paid before May 15. The class was likely evenly split between these offerings, but a few opted for self-study. The BRC classes were scheduled between June 1 and July 16. The Hawaii Bar Exam was scheduled between July 26 and July 29, each for half-days except the multi-state exam tool a full day. The Chairman of the Board of Examiners provided "Instruction to Applicants" which outlined the topics of the exam: a. Multistate Examination: 1. Torts 2. Contracts 3. Criminal Law 4. Real Property 5. Evidence 6. Constitutional Law b. Essay Questions: 1. Business Organization (including corporations, partnerships and agencies) 2. Wills and Trusts 3. Civil Procedure and Legal Ethics 4. Uniform Commercial Code (limited to Sales, Commercial Paper and Secured Transactions) Although it was no surprise, the courses we had for our first two years were deficient in the Multistate Exam topics. After the exam, all were invited by Prof. Jon Van Dyke and Sherry Broder to a party in Kaawa:
Results of the Bar Exam were published in September:
It was more than "growing pains"! A significant part of the first two year's study was a faculty experiment and we were the lab rats! The Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii held a Bar Admission Ceremony on September 20, 1976 in the Concert Hall of the Blaisdell Memorial Center. There are no photos; they were not allowed. The first step to organization was Newsletter #1 from the "University of Hawaii Law School Graduates Society" dated September 30, 1976. It stated:
An eight-page Alumni Directory was sent on December 21. A grand beginning! A few weeks later, the alumni society sent a questionnaire asking for comments to improve the UH law school. Frank Hayashida called for a February 4, 1977 meeting of the alumni at the Law School to discuss and approve the charter and bylaws of the alumni association. Also to plan social activities. The first social activity was a "Beer Bust" on May 13, 1977 at "The Primo Village of the Pacific" with promised that: "...beverages are compliments of the Hawaii Brewing Company, Div. of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company." Dinner was available for $5.00 - when the menu was finally settled! A year later, Assistant Dean Larry Kam sent an updated alumni directory that included both our class and the class of 1977. This February 15, 1978 letter from Dean Kam noted "Paper Chase" would be screened on April 11 at the law school. The "U.H. School of Law Alumni Association" published newsletters and meeting announcements. Frank Hayashida continued as president until November, 1979. At that time the newsletter announced an election of new officers. There was a new slate of officers in 1981 and the May 1981 newsletter showed only two of our class on the Board of Directors - Allen Hoe and Stan Manuia - but no officers! Newsletters continued from the alumni association, always seeking dues-paying members and help with alumni news and newsletter production. The law school was renamed as the "William S. Richardson School of Law" and a newsletter in 1984 noted that the aluni association changed its name accordingly. An August 1984 newsletter announced the new officers and board of directors - none from our class! Fifth Anniversary Celebration at the Maple Garden The alumni newsletter announced the "Class of 1976 Reunion" scheduled for September 25, 1981 organized by Allen Hoe, Frank Hayashida and Lani Nakazawa. We had a great party in the private dining room of this restaurant. The photo below from Allen Hoe is a great group shot of our class. This link is to other Maple Garden photos in a slide-show/movie format.
In 1983 the Tenth Anniversary Celebration was held on July 22. The program included "an observance to honor the naming of the William S. Richardson School of Law." Tours were offered of the new classroom and library buildings. The program included "Some Milestones of the School of Law." There are photos from a 1992 reunion at Washington Place, the official residence of Hawaii's Governor. The Law School Alumni Association had an event in 1996 to award John Waihee as the "Outstanding Alumni. The William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association sponsored the "8th Annual All Class Reunion" at the Hale Koa hotel on September 23, 2011. Our classmate Allen Hoe was a "Distinguished Honoree." The Alumni Association also organized the "10th Annual All Class Reunion" again at the Hale Koa hotel on September 27, 2013. The William S. Richardson School of Law invited all alumni to mark the 40th anniversary of the law school's beginning with a Convocation at the Dole street law school on August 26, 2013. Speakers included John Waihee and Allen Hoe. There was a reunion by the Alumni Association October 27, 2017 at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai ballroom. Photos of our class participants show there were only six of us at this event. The next documented reunion was announced by the Alumni Association as the "16th Annual All Class Reunion" on December 6, 2019 again at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai ballroom. It also celebrated the 100th birthday of Chief Justice William S. Richardson. The 50th anniversary of the law school was celebrated by two events. The William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association sponsored one on August 25, 2023 at the First Hawaiian Bank, Bankers Club. Tickets were $100. A second "50th Anniversary Kick-Off Event" with $150 tickets was held September 6, 2023 on the UH Holmes Hall lawn. 21 members of our class stayed for the photo below.
An Alumni Directory published on September 27, 1976 listed ten classmates in private practice or with a law firm. Eleven were clerks for Hawaii's judges. Seven were employed by state agencies such as the Attorney General and five were with public interest organizations. Melody MacKenzie and Bob Schmitt completed a report on September 1, 1976 for the mayor of Maui, Elmer Cravalho: "Kaho'lawe: A Legal Analysis". This report recommended several strategies to stop the military from using the Kaho'olawe island as a target for bombing and shelling. About the same time, Bob was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers at Ft. Shafter as an Assistant Division Counsel. After graduation, Melody was Chief Justice Richardson's law clerk, then later worked for the Honolulu corporate counsel. She eventually joined the faculty of the UH/Richardson School of Law where she made significant contributions to native Hawaiian legal issues. On August 1, 1981, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin & Advertiser published an interesting retrospective of our class. First UH Law Grads: Where Are They Now?
Also, a story about the origin of Sessue Hayakawa Day: Warrior Spirit Helped in the Early Days
In an October 4, 1982 article, "The Impact of the UH Law School", the Honolulu Advertiser noted that John Waihee was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, Tony Chang was a nominee for the State Senate, Russell Blair was nominated for re-election to the State House of Representative and Kumu Vasconcellos was also a nominee for the House. Frank Hayashida had been an unsuccessful primary election candidates. Carol Fukunaga was a current House member, then working in the Waihee campaign and not seeking reelection. Honolulu per diem district judges included Mary/Mimi Durant and Allen Hoe. Cathy Chang became the State Ethics Commission Executive Director and Abby Costa-Shaw was the Deputy Director of Hawaii Department of Health. The article also noted that the law school got its first full accreditation by the American Bar Association, certifying that its faculty, student body, administration, library, physical facilities and resources meet ABA standards. Previous accreditations were temporary, conditional in part on the construction of permanent facilities. John Waihee served one term as a Democratic member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives from 1981 to 1983. He later was elected lieutenant governor in 1982 and was in this office until 1986. John was elected Governor in 1986 and served two terms until 1994. As lieutenant governor, John was also Hawaii's Chief Election Officer. In 1981, several parties sued the State of Hawaii under the Voting Rights Act alleging that voting districts didn't meet this Act's standards of fairness (Travis v. King, 552 F. Supp. 554, 568, 572 (D. Haw. 1982). The voting districts of the 1982 election were a result of this federal court's order.
Carol Fukunaga joined the Lieutenant Covernor's office as the chief of staff. John soon met with the Hawaii Attorney General and the Legislature to plan a course of action to reapportion Hawaii's election districts. He then hired classmates Gerald Miyoshi, Frank Hayashida and Bob Schmitt as research staff to identify apportionment deficiencies and formulate a plan for a legally-sufficient apportionment of districts. As fully explained in "A History Recent Reapportionment in Hawaii" (cited above) the LG's research staff analyzed the 1981 apportionment plan, obtained detailed population data from the U.S Bureau of the Census and used the the State's first microcomputers to create population databases. These databases allowed the drafting of alternative voting district maps. Then John coordinated the mapping efforts with the State Reapportionment Commission. A final map was approved by the U.S. District Court on April 9, 1984. While Bob was working in the LG's office, this was an event that likely changed Waikiki:
Although the Hale Koa hotel was opened in 1975, it's unlikely it would have been expanded and updated if Ft. DeRussy was not saved. After I moved to California in 1985, I was sent several times to Washington D.C. on business. Twice Dave took me on tours of the Capitol. One was special because we went to the lookout at the very top of the Capitol dome. Dave passed away in 2012, a few years after leaving Congress. These classmates have passed away: Bruce Anderson John White Cater Anthony Chang Edwin Doernberger Mary "Mimi" Durant Karl Ichida Nancy Jones Shirley Mesher Gerald Miyoshi |
