 Welcome to the 2021 Pro Bono Celebration. We're so happy to honor the outstanding student essay contest winners and the attorneys who dedicated hundreds of hours of their time throughout the year. A big mahalo to Hawaii Justice Foundation, Hawaii State Bar Foundation, and the Hawaii State Bar Association for sponsoring this event. A special mahalo to Think Tech Hawaii for helping us put this professional event together. To start off the event today, I'm pleased to welcome Governor David Ige. Governor? Thank you, Chair Judge Cardoza and the members of the Access to Justice Commission for inviting me to participate in this year's annual Pro Bono Celebration. The commission was created to substantially increase access to justice for civil legal matters for low and moderate income residents of Hawaii. In order to carry out this mission, many dedicated appointees have devoted endless hours of commitment and support towards the pursuit of equal justice for all. I want to thank the members of the Bar and the community who have joined the various committees to carry out this mission, as well as the countless volunteers through the various pro bono programs. They go above and beyond to assist our legal service providers in helping the public and serve to inspire Hawaii's young people to volunteer with this year's SA competition theme. Many hands make light work. And finally, I'm very thankful to all the legal service providers and their staff who work tirelessly every day to support this community despite these challenging times. Each of the legal service providers have recognized a standout volunteer in their organization. And I want to congratulate all of today's honorees and thank you all for your work. This celebration is a reminder of the importance of pro bono work and helping those in need, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is only through the efforts of the many individuals who dedicate hundreds of hours of pro bono service that Hawaii continues to increase access to justice for all. Today is just one day that we can recognize the attorneys and individuals who generously donate their time to assist thousands of people each year. We are thankful every day for all the volunteers and their giving hearts. Mahalo. Okay, we really appreciate you being part of the pro bono celebration this year. And now I'm pleased to introduce the biggest champion of access to justice, Chief Justice Mark Recton-Wall. Hello, hi everyone. Thank you to Governor Igay for taking part in this wonderful celebration. On behalf of my colleagues at the Hawaii Supreme Court, welcome to pro bono week 2021. It's an honor to be celebrating the attorneys of this state whose selfless work on behalf of the people of Hawaii inspires me every day. A quick thank you to everybody who made this celebration possible. The co-sponsors for today's event are Access to Justice Commission, Hawaii State Bar Association, Hawaii State Bar Foundation and the Hawaii Justice Foundation. Thank you to the legal services organizations who nominated our honorees. These organizations are critical to the well-being of our communities. Thank you to the law firms and organizations who sponsored the awards for our student honorees. Allen Kanashiro, attorney at law, Hickerton Law Group, Kauai Bar Association, Law Office of Jennifer Ng, Law Office of Michelle Oishi, Maher Jones and Wang, Schluter, Quieton Kennedy and Tomashiro Sogi and Bonner. A special thanks to Joe Hasagawa, Sean Benton, Tracy Wilkin and the pro bono committee for organizing today's event. I'd also like to recognize Think Tech Hawaii and J-Fidel for partnering with the committee to produce this year's celebration. And last but certainly not least, thank you to all of the students who participated in the essay contest, the teachers who encouraged them and their parents and families. I look forward every year to reading these essays and this year did not disappoint. They were simply amazing. Every year during pro bono week as part of the American Bar Association's national celebration of pro bono, jurisdictions across the country celebrate the steps taken by members of the bar to make sure nobody is left out of our justice system. Here in Hawaii, that effort is led by the Access to Justice Commission. The commission understands that it's the lawyers in the community who are really making a difference. The commission's job is to make sure they have the support and resources to get help to the people who need it. That's why the commission is constantly looking to increase funding for legal services providers and to launch innovative new programs such as our self-help centers to touch the lives of thousands. It was Justice Simi Nakoba who said equal access to justice should not be a mere illusion. It is the commission and the lawyers in the community who make equal justice under law more than just an ideal. I wanna say a word or two about the students we are honoring today. We all know that they are the change makers of the future but they aren't waiting their turn to get out there. In this unparalleled time when there is so much need and so much grief they are standing up to say I can help heal my community today. That's why they're volunteering their time to deliver aid to those who need it, to comfort those who have lost so much and to contribute to safe, healthy and thriving communities. Their efforts are truly the silver lining on the storm clouds that are passing overhead. These students know that when we talk about many hands make light work, it's your hands that they are talking about. These things right here, that's where it all starts. If everybody just reaches out to pick up a tiny piece of the work ahead of us then we can uplift all of our communities. And I'm so proud that the members of our bar live that lesson every single day. I want to spotlight one student essay as to work pulling up weeds and planting native vegetation at Sharks Cove in Pupukea. By the end of the first day they had pulled 500 pounds of weeds. Think about how much a single weed weighs. Now think about the effort it takes to pull 500 pounds of weeds. That to me is the definition of many hands making light work. Every weed matters, every little bit you do adds up to a whole lot. With that, thank you to everybody who made this event possible, to the students who are standing up to serve their communities and to the attorneys and organizations who do the work of healing the world every single day. Today is your day. Loha and Mahalo Nui Loa. Thank you Chief Justice Recton-Wall. We will now have Sean Benton introduce the high school essay contest winners. We're grateful to Sean for coordinating the essay contest and handling all the logistics. Congratulations to all of the outstanding students for your inspiring essays. Sean. As you all know, as part of the pro bono celebration the access to justice commission holds a high school essay contest every year for all students grades 10 through 12. The topic for this year's essay contest was framed as many hands make light work. How my work as a volunteer helped to build and or strengthen my community. As our students and teachers face many challenges during the past two years, we wondered if they would have additional energy to help support their community. I have the privilege to share with all of you that our students did not disappoint this year. The students showed such compassion and love for their communities through their essay submissions. Before we announce the winners, the commission would like to thank our preliminary round judges. First, we have retired associate justice of the voice cream court Justice Simeon Akoba, Judge Blaine Kobayashi, District Court Judge of the Second Circuit, Judge Michelle Laubach, District Family Court Judge of the Third Circuit, Reagan Iwao, Attorney at Schlag Ito, and Trisha Nakamura, Director of Career Services and Professional Development at the William S. Richardson School of Law. We would also like to thank our final round judges who will be announcing our student essay contest winners. Chief Justice Mark Wreckdenwald, HSBA President Levi Ho Okano, and Micah Kane, President and CEO of the Hawaii Community Foundation. Last but not least, we would also like to acknowledge our law firms who sponsored the essay contest awards this year. Alan Kanashiro, Attorney at Law. Rickerton Law Group, the Law Office of Jennifer D. K. Ng, and Law Office of Michelle S. K. Oishi, the Koi Bar Association, Mar Jones and Wang, Schluter, Quiet and Kennedy, and last but not least, Tomashiro, Sogi and Bonner. Each student will receive a $500 award, and the student's teacher or advisor will also receive a $100 award. Thank you to all of the students and their teachers for submitting such thoughtful essays this year. Tracy. Thank you, Sean. And first we'll have Chief Justice Mark Wreckdenwald announce the first two student winners. Chief Justice. Zachary Kau is a senior at Kamauke Christian School. His award is being sponsored by Tomashiro, Sogi and Bonner. Zachary wrote about his experience volunteering at the Queens Medical Center. As a volunteer, he greeted visitors and guided them to appointments with grace and compassion. He comforted families during times of grief, and he was always there to lend a listening ear to anybody who needed it. He writes about a kapuna who told him, life is too short to waste, so every opportunity we have should be spent with family and the ones we love. This message rings true, especially during these challenging times. Zachary's story shows that even small actions can make a big difference. At the hospital, he spent hours placing stickers on bentos, filling them with food, and delivering them to patients and doctors. This work wasn't always exciting, but it was always fulfilling. Zachary writes, although I could not see their faces behind their masks, I knew that they were smiling at the sight of fresh laulau and haupia. I no longer saw the stickers as a monotonous job, but instead as a wonderful experience. Zachary wrote further, as a volunteer, I was blessed with the opportunity to reunite these families and help to rebuild their ohanas. I was also able to provide services and bring joy to my community through tiny but powerful actions. His example serves as a wonderful reminder that every little bit helps and can make a difference in people's lives. Thank you Zachary for being there to comfort those in our community during their hours of their greatest need and leaving a positive impact on all those you interacted with. Tyler Ogata is a sophomore at St. Louis School. His prize is being sponsored by Allen M. Conashiro, attorney at law. Tyler wrote about his experience volunteering at the Kahala Summer Fund Program and the nonprofit, Palama Pupukea Waimea. As a junior leader for the Kahala Summer Fund Program, he spent the past two summers organizing activities for kids. Tyler arrived early each morning to set up safety boundaries for activities such as dodgeball, basketball, and dancing. Through his experience, he developed positive relationships with the kids and was able to, in his words, create a safe place for these children to forget about the hectic world aside of the park. Tyler also spent time volunteering for Palama Pupukea Waimea where he assisted with conservation efforts around Sharks Cove. Tyler jumped right in and immersed himself by pulling weeds and planting native plants. By the end of his first day, his group called 500 pounds of weeds and planted almost 100 native plants. The next time Tyler volunteered, he brought along a friend. This time, 400 pounds of weeds, 20 native plants, new signs, and refurbished rope barriers. Tyler writes in his essay, this experience overall made me feel like I was supporting this coastal environment. All in all, through these volunteer opportunities, I have found fulfillment by making an impact in my communities. Thank you, Tyler, for your hard work. I believe a positive impact on our keiki and for your efforts to preserve and protect our environment. Mikaela Carter is a senior at Makua Lani Christian Academy in Kailua, Kona. Her award is being sponsored by Schluter Quiet and Kennedy. When the pandemic hit, Mikaela's grandfather helped organize the program called Umeke Ayo Waimea Nui, Weekly Food Delivery Service that partnered with native Hawaiian fishermen, ranchers and farmers to provide food deliveries for the Waimea community. They have since expanded to serve Kauaihai and Kohala. As a native Hawaiian herself, Mikaela's family encouraged her to become involved and serve her community. Every Saturday for six months, she put together bags of food that would go on to feed over 9,000 people per week. Kaila understands that her efforts have made a significant impact on her community. She writes, by helping to provide these families with food, a small weight could be lifted off their shoulders. Although my job as a volunteer was not as big as others, by helping those around me, the community was brought together during a time of uncertainty. Families of farmers, fishermen and ranchers were able to stay afloat and not lose their source of income through this program and the community surrounding it is being fed to this day. Thank you, Mikaela, for your dedication to strengthening your community and for volunteering your time to help those in need. Thank you, Chief Justice Recton-Wald and to announce the next two essay contest winners, we have Mika Kane, CEO of Hawaii Community Foundation. Mika. Aloha, I'm Mika Kane, CEO of the Hawaii Community Foundation, really proud to be here with you and be a part of this program. I have the privilege of awarding two awards tonight, both to the Maui Awardee and the Kaua'i Awardee. And I'd like to start with the Maui Awardee. I'm really proud to announce and congratulate Logan Tsukiyama. Logan is a proud senior at Maui High School. I'd like to thank the Maui sponsor, Bikritan Law Group, and want to recognize Mr. Jim Bikritan. He's the lead partner there, very generous and very supportive. Thank you for your support. I'd also like to recognize and acknowledge Logan's Kumu, Mr. Glenn Gima. Thank you for your support, Mr. Gima. What struck me most about Logan's essay was the work she did beyond the organization she volunteered at, and the initiative she took to generate the resources to fill a need as a result of the pandemic. I want to read a section of her essay that really highlights this. Well, recently, although the pandemic brought some setbacks, it only made my fervor for service stronger. As someone blessed with the means and resources to help my community, I was determined to use what I had to uplift others during such a difficult time. I organized events like books, book and clothing donations, recycling drives, and remote cleanups, end quote. What I loved was the creative proactive pivot that she was making to find a way to help and not just leaving it the status quo resources that were available. Congratulations, Logan. So proud of what you've accomplished so far and I really look forward to all that you accomplish in the years ahead. The second awardee is someone from Kaua'i and I have the privilege to announce that as well. And that goes to Kailea Lucy. Kailea is a junior at Kaua'i Christian Academy. I'd like to thank our Kaua'i sponsor, the Kaua'i Bar Association model for your generosity and all that you do in the Kaua'i community. I'd also like to acknowledge Kailea's cumo, Ms. Lisa Grimo. Thank you, Ms. Grimo, for your support. Kailea wrote her essay about her experience moving to a small town in Mexico with her family, a volunteer under a nonprofit called the Seven Day Hero Organization. Kailea wrote her essay about that experience and what struck me most about Kailea's essay is not only how she welcomed her family's commitment to travel to another country far away to help those less fortunate, but how she articulated how she grew from that experience. And I want to read a little excerpt from her essay as well. Well, there wasn't much we could do about their family situation, but we wanted to make sure they knew that they were loved and that they had enough food and were healthy. Somehow, even though all the trials that they faced, they were still able to be happy and always had a smile on their face. That really inspired me. To this day, I just think about how blessed I was to be able to love those children and to accept, be accepted in their community. I moved there to help the community of Cozmo, Mexico, but believe at the same time, they helped me, end quote. That recognition really struck me and is at the core of what being a volunteer is all about and is at the core of philanthropy. And I was really impressed on how Kalea recognized that and really showed that in her essay. Kalea, thank you for reminding us and congratulations on being Coa's awardee. We look forward to all you will accomplish in the years ahead. Well, hello again for allowing me to be a part of this. Hello. I'd like to introduce Levi O'Connell. He is the HSBA president and he will introduce the final two essay contest winners. Levi. Aloha. I'm Levi O'Connell, the Hawaii State Bar Association president and I'm pleased to present two awards today. The first was to Brayden Lee, who's a 12th grader at Eli School and his teacher, John Bickel. Mahalo to the award sponsor, Mar-Jones and Wang. Brayden's essay demonstrated a deep commitment to community service and leadership qualities that are needed in times of crisis. He wrote about his experience in helping healthcare professionals during the shortage of personal protection equipment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing service with the Meals on Wheels program. Working with his Boy Scout troop, Brayden writes about how he helped to fabricate, prototype, test, produce and distribute more than 1200 alternative protective masks to healthcare providers. He also volunteered to assist the elderly population by sanitizing equipment and preparing meals for the Lanakeela Meals on Wheels program. In his essay, Brayden says, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed deep rooted insecurities in our healthcare systems or exacerbated prior issues. He concludes that his experiences helped strengthen not only his community but also his resolve to continued service. Congratulations to Brayden Lee and your teacher, John Bickel of Elani School. I'm also pleased to present an award to Alicia Weissenbauer, East Hawaii. She's a 12th grader at the Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science and her teacher, Sierra Wagner. Mahalo to the award sponsors, the Law Office of Jennifer D.K. Ng and the Law Office of Michelle S.K. Oishi. Alicia's essay conveys such a strong sense of empathy and aloha for her community, painting a vivid picture of her experience volunteering with the Pahoa Lavazone Museum. While greeting visitors to the museum, she mentions that she most enjoys speaking with people who are part of the community and the shared understanding and experiences they went through together. She truly emphasized with each other the strengthening of the community, connections between each other. Alicia described the events of the recent eruptions of Kilauea by saying, the hellish glow, the soft crunch from stepping on a fresh layer of Tesla, blowing lava churning at previously unthinkable speeds, the image of a tin roof where your home, your beloved home used to be, heat, tears, loss. Even in the midst of that disaster, it has followed up with help, sympathy, resiliency and then outpouring of aloha. Alicia found this overlining in these experiences and he's using it to lift up those around her, continue the good work and inspiring others to the community's surface. Congratulations to you and your teacher, Sarah Wagner of the Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences. Mahalo Levi, that was simply amazing and it gives us all hope in the most challenging year these young people were out making a difference in their communities. So thank you so much and congratulations to all of you. I now am pleased to introduce Honorable Matt Viola who will provide us with an overview of the pro bono programs in the First Circuit Family Court and he will share about the good work of dedicated volunteers who help so many couples and families each year. This year more than ever, their help was needed. Judge Viola. Thank you. People come to Family Court at some of the most difficult and stressful times in their lives. They may need a domestic abuse restraining order or a guardianship for a child or for an incapacitated family member that may be involved in a custody dispute in a paternity or a divorce case. The inherent stress of being involved in these types of cases is amplified by what may seem like an intimidating or at least unfamiliar process. Many people representing themselves without an attorney feel uncomfortable coming to court because they don't understand the process. They may not know where to begin or what to expect. The experienced attorneys who volunteer at the couple A access to justice room and the satellite location at the Hoyt Supreme Court Law Library will form a great service to those who desperately need guidance in understanding and navigating the legal process. They provide legal advice to those who need the help of a legal expert but who may not be able to afford it. One moment these volunteer attorneys may be assisting and advising a survivor of domestic abuse to obtain a protective order. And the next, they may be advising a family about an adoption. Through their generous donation of their time and their expertise, they provide dozens and dozens of people with access to the justice that they are entitled to. Many family law attorneys also assist the court as volunteer settlement masters, a program that is overseen by the court in the Mediation Center of the Pacific. They volunteer their time and their expertise to act as mediators to assist parties in settling their disputed issues and divorce and paternity cases. These cases can be highly emotional and difficult to settle but by devoting their considerable time and expertise and energy, volunteer settlement masters help families regain some control over their lives and avoid the emotional and financial costs that come with contested litigation. The volunteer settlement masters commit at least three or four hours of their time to mediate these cases that the court refers to them. In my experience, whoever they spend, actually many more hours. Part of the mission of the family court is to provide every family, every child, every individual under its jurisdiction with equal access to fair, efficient and timely justice. It is intended to be a place of healing for children and families. We are extremely grateful to all the volunteer settlement masters and to the attorneys who staffed the access to justice room for doing such exceptional work for families and children and for helping the family court achieve its mission. So thank you and aloha. Mahalo, Judge Viola and Mahalo to all the volunteers at family court who make such a huge difference. I'm now pleased to introduce Honorable Melanie May who will provide us with an overview and update of the district court access to justice self-help desk program and how their volunteers provide advice each month to hundreds of individuals accessing the court system. Judge May. Thank you, Tracy. The access to justice room at the Honolulu district court was established in 2012 as a place where self-represented litigants in civil cases could receive free legal advice from volunteer attorneys. During the pandemic and with the support of Legal Aid Society of Hawaii and AmeriCorps, the access to justice room shifted from in-person consultations to telephonic consultations to help keep our entire community safe. The shift to telephonic legal advice also increased access to justice by making it easier than ever to connect with a volunteer attorney. Today, self-represented litigants seeking help with civil cases no longer need to take hours off from work, find childcare, arrange for transportation or wait in line to meet with a volunteer attorney. Instead, self-represented litigants simply call in to request legal advice by telephone. In the past 12 months, over 200 different attorneys volunteered at the access to justice room at the Honolulu district court. The most common issues addressed by the volunteers were in the landlord-tenant area. Landlord-tenant issues have long been a hot topic at the access to justice room, but the demand for legal advice about evictions skyrocketed during the pandemic. For years and now during the pandemic, landlords are now finding ways to understand the complex legal landscape created by the state eviction moratorium. The CDC eviction moratorium orders the various rent relief programs intended to ensure that landlords would be paid so that tenants could remain in their existing rentals. And Act 57, a law passed by the 2021 legislature, which now requires landlords and tenants to try and mediate cases involving unpaid rent before filing eviction lawsuits. For the same time, tenants facing eviction need advice about their rights, their landlord's obligations, the tenants eviction process, the mediation process, and how to present their case in court if their case proceeds to court ultimately. During the past year, these volunteers attorneys have fielded over 760 landlord-tenant related calls, providing free legal advice to landlords and tenants alike. In addition to these 760 plus calls, volunteer attorneys provided free legal advice in many other areas, including small claims, temporary restraining orders, contract disputes, credit card, consumer debt, and garnishment actions. Collectively, volunteer attorneys provided advice to 2,367 self-represented litigants, making a significant impact on our community. The impact is best shared in the words of those who received help at the access to justice room. One person wrote that it was easy to connect with a volunteer attorney who was very helpful and walked them through the entire court process. Another person stated, quote, "'I received great clarification from the attorney. "'Most people aren't attorneys "'and don't know where to go to find out information. "'It is helpful to have someone who is in the process "'and actively participating "'that has the information available to meet my needs. "'Because of COVID, it makes it difficult "'to navigate the judicial system. "'Thank you for making the process easier." End quote. Finally, another person summed up their experience by writing, "'I am just so grateful to have this service "'because I don't have the money to hire an attorney. "'I can now feel confident that I am doing everything right. "'I slept last night for the first time in ages." End quote. Today we thank and celebrate the attorneys, law firms and organization who provided a lifeline to self-represented litigants in our community through the Honolulu District Court Access to Justice Room. Mahalo and Aloha. Thank you, Judge May. And Mahalo to all of the volunteer attorneys who made such a big difference at the Access to Justice Self-Help Desk at District Court. I'm now pleased to introduce the Honorable Michael Wilson. He will provide an overview and update about two very important programs that are supported by Pro Bono attorneys, including the appellate program and the appellate mediation program. Justice Wilson. Thank you very much, Tracy. And it's a real pleasure to speak to the Hawaii appellate mediation program and thank the mediators. The Judiciary's Mediation Program for Appeals in Civil Cases began in 1995. The Hawaii Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution administers the Hawaii appellate mediation program. Thanks to you, Tracy. The main objective of the program is to provide an alternative to litigation on appeal. Most civil cases on appeal are eligible for the program. A notice of mandatory mediation is sent to parties whose cases are selected for mediation. But if a case is not selected, a party may request voluntary participation of a mediator. Mediation is an informal, private process to help parties discuss, define, and resolve their dispute. The parties control the result of their mediation using a mediator, an impartial person to guide the process. The mediator does not make decisions for the parties. The appointed mediators generously volunteer their time. The mediators are retired judges or justices and retired or semi-retired counsel. It is a very, very important resource for the Supreme Court and the Intermediate Court resolving cases that sometimes have taken years of dispute and are resolved by the experienced mediators in the Hawaii appellate mediation program. So we're very grateful to them for their services. Thank you, Justice Wilson. As part of the celebration, the Civil Legal Service providers recognize their outstanding volunteers for the year. This year's honorees include Carol Moranaka, Diane Ono, Jan Boyven, Mike Goodman, Jeffrey Foster, Lisa Jacobs, and Derek James Brow. To honor these dedicated volunteers, a representative from each organization will provide a description of their good work. While we aren't able to present a way to these amazing volunteers, each will receive a certificate signed by Governor Ege. It is a very small token of our appreciation for all that you do. First, I'd like to introduce Bill Hunt, who will introduce Carol Moranaka. Bill? Thanks, Tracy. I'm Bill Hunt. I'm the president of the Hawaii Justice Foundation. And it's my privilege and pleasure to recognize Carol Moranaka as the HAF outstanding volunteer. We take much more than the two or three minutes I'm allowed here to talk about all of the good work that Carol has done in the past for pro bono activities. To say that Carol is a person that continually paced it forward would be an understatement. She has spent most of her professional legal career representing the U.S. government in a variety of different areas, agencies, and has also been the U.S. trustee for Hawaii, Guam, and the Mariana Islands. And even though she has kept very busy with those duties, she found time over the years to participate as a panelist in numerous bar association panels and was a president of Hawaii Bar Association in 2011 and has continued to be the editor of the Hawaii Bar Journal for many years. She has dedicated years of service not only to the legal profession, but to the community at large particularly providing access to justice for the average person. We know that's been a big commitment for Carol. She has been a valuable resource for the Hawaii Justice Foundation and anything we have done. For many years, over 10 years, she has been the webmaster for our website and has also been covered the portion of the website where the access to justice commission that HAF is on. For the past 12 years, she has been the vice chair of the commission committee that organizes and presents the annual access to justice conference. And in that role, she handles all the registration, she provides the CLE credits and creating Excel charts and the participants in the breakout sections, innumerable hours doing that. And every year she works with our foundation in obtaining a grant from the Cades Foundation to pay for the access to justice conference. I could go on, that just hits the tip of the iceberg of all the things that Carol has done over her career to as a commitment for access to justice. Her success in all of her endeavors is clearly due to her dedication and willingness to just give time and say yes whenever she's asked to volunteer for something that has to do with pro bono activities. When we've talked to other people, everybody comments on her dedication and the fact she's a real professional and very reliable. When Carol says she's gonna do something, she does it and she gets it done correctly. She's very detail-oriented. And as someone mentioned to me, you can be sure that she will dot all the I's and cross all the T's in any endeavor that she's involved in. So for all of those reasons and many others, Carol was a unanimous choice by the Hawaii Justice Foundation as its volunteer of the year. And we are very pleased to present her with this well-deserved recognition. Thank you, Carol, for all you've done. Thank you, Bill, and congratulations, Carol. Certainly well-deserved for all the great work that you do. I'd like to introduce Matt Winter, who will introduce Diane Ono and Jan Borven as volunteers for the Hawaii State Bar Association. Matt? Thank you very much. My name is Matt Winter, and I have the honor of presenting this award to two outstanding individuals. Two individuals who encouraged the Hawaii State Bar Foundation to take a more active role during the pandemic. Their leadership and hard work over the past year has helped thousands of people in our community. These two individuals are Diane Ono and Jan Borven. I'm going to speak about each individual and the programs they created. Due to time constraints, I will highlight each separately, but please know that Diane and Jan worked together on all the programs that I'm about to mention. Diane Ono. Diane is the current president of the Hawaii State Bar Foundation. During the pandemic, she challenged our board and the legal community to assist the members of our community facing what has been called the eviction crisis. Her mission was to provide a meaningful grant that would help people and provide access to justice to the unrepresented and the underrepresented members of our community. This year, Diane's efforts have raised $100,000, which the Bar Foundation recently awarded to the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. This represents the largest grant ever given by the Bar Foundation, and that money will go to help Lash provide legal services to Hawaii residents and people who are facing eviction during this pandemic. Next is Jan Borven. Jan is the immediate past president of the Hawaii State Bar Foundation. This year, she led an effort to create what is called the Pandemic Education Program. This program provides free legal advice to Hawaii nonprofit organizations, advice to help nonprofits survive and even thrive during the pandemic. To do this, Jan recruited some of the most talented attorneys in Hawaii and created video webinars. These webinars include topics addressing federal grants, the Paytech Protection Program, and just to understand and navigate the state and federal requirements about COVID. These webinars are continuing and they're available today online and at no cost through the Hawaii State Bar Foundation's website. Thank you, Diane and Jan, for your outstanding work to help our community. Much deserved. Thank you, Matt, and congratulations to Diane and Jan for your amazing work and helping so many nonprofits in these challenging times. Next, I'm pleased to introduce Maya Sameka. She will introduce Mike Goodman, volunteer for the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. Hi, and so on behalf of both Legal Aid and also the Access to Justice Room, we're honored to honor Mike Goodman. He was the volunteer attorney that over the past year volunteered for more shifts than any other volunteers, individuals that we had. I just looked at some of the statistics earlier today and since he started volunteering, which was just over a year ago now, so not that long that he's been with us, but since then he has volunteered for 49 shifts. By after tomorrow, it'll be 50 shifts and they're two-hour shifts, so 98 hours. By tomorrow, he'll be at 100 hours of volunteer service. He's definitely talked to hundreds of callers to the Access to Justice Room. And not only was the feedback from the callers that he worked with extremely positive, but also the AmeriCorps advocates who he communicated with as well, just said that he is so compassionate, he's great to work with, and he's also known for his meticulous case notes and spending a long time even after the shift ends, so I'm sure it's much more than 100 hours in actuality. And when I talked to him and learned a little bit about how he got to be in this, the legal profession and the spirit of service that he has, I was impressed, but not surprised to learn that he got to law, not for needing a career. He explained to me that in his former life, as he put it, he used to be a film editor, producer, director in Hollywood. He's worked with Martin Scorsese, Stephen King, among other famous people, and it actually was because he had his own legal issues and had difficulty accessing attorney services and assistance that he decided to attend San Monica Community College and take paralegal classes, and he excelled in those classes, and then as fate would have it, ended up coming to Hawaii and attending law school at night. And it's not just the access to justice room, but I also wanna note that he told me that he spends about 30 to 50% of his own private practice is pro bono work. So thank you, Mike, and just an honor to have you at the access to justice room. Mahalo, Maya, and congratulations, Mike. I don't know how you have time to practice law when you're doing so much pro bono, but we are certainly grateful to you. Next, I have the pleasure of introducing Ashley Aubrey. She will introduce Jeffrey Foster, volunteer for the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. Thank you. Aloha mai kakou. I'm Ashley Aubrey, and on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Mahalo for this opportunity to celebrate those who go above and beyond to increase access to justice in Hawaii. Hearing many hands make light work. Hearing that today reminds me of an olelo no eau that goes, ohehana nui ike aluia. No task is too big when done together by all. Because access to justice is no small task, these words are really so relevant to why we're all here today. Now that said, NHLC is thrilled to honor Jeffrey Foster for his outstanding contributions to access to justice in our community. Not only has he established his own successful law practice in personal injury, real estate, and civil litigation, both in Hawaii and Washington state, but over the past year and a half, Jeff has also generously volunteered his time, knowledge, and skill to assist NHLC and its clients to expand our capacity and our work to address the legal needs of the Native Hawaiian community. Jeff is a resident of Kona and Anhabai Island is already known as a champion of rights for those in need outside of his work with NHLC. As one of many examples, Jeff represents the people of Puna, whose homes were lost to the 2018 Kilauea eruption and whose lava-related insurance claims were denied. Jeff is also an active member of his community, volunteering with local organizations and dedicating his personal time to supporting and promoting the Hawaiian language education in Kona. He has demonstrated his commitment to NHLC's vision and the Native Hawaiian community so many times over and in so doing has proven himself a selfless ally and advocate who cares deeply about the well-being of those around him. And I have to say all of this, he does more than willingly with so much humility and with no want for recognition, which is why the Native Hawaiian legal corporation is so happy to have the opportunity to honor him today. So, Jeff, if you're listening, you truly are a servant of the people and I am so proud to work with you and learn from you and even call you my friend. Ho'omai ka'i ya'oi amahalono ke kaka'o anaya NHLC. Thank you so much and congratulations. And now I have the honor of introducing Lisa Jacobs, outstanding volunteer for the Mediation Center of the Pacific. And I have to say the Mediation Center is fortunate to have so many volunteers and Lisa is just outstanding and definitely was unanimously selected by the staff for this recognition. So Lisa is dedicated to helping the community by providing pro bono, mediation and dispute resolution services for the most challenging cases. Over the past 13 years, Lisa has donated hundreds of hours of her time mediating, mentoring new mediators, assisting with trainings and presenting on mediation and much more. Between December of 2015 and June, 2021, Lisa mediated 82 cases involving 263 hours for the Mediation Center of the Pacific. She also facilitates family conferences for the Kapuna Pono program, helping elders and their families engage in challenging conversations. As a family law attorney and an ADR practitioner with their own firm, Better Way Divorce or Pono Divorce, Lisa specializes in helping couples and families work through their issues without fighting. In addition to her work for MCP, Lisa volunteers her time to speak on divorce related legal matters at the second Saturday Honolulu Divorce Workshop for Women. She is co-chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Hawaii Bar Association and past president and current secretary of the Conflict Resolution Alliance Hawaii. She is also a board member of Epic Ohana. Clearly, she dedicates many hours of her time to many causes to promote mediation and dispute resolution. Lisa, we're so proud of the work you do. We're so fortunate that you're a volunteer for the Mediation Center of the Pacific. Congratulations for this well-deserved honor. And now I'd like to introduce last, but definitely not least, Serena Pasquale, who will introduce Derek James Brow, the volunteer for Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii. Serena. Thank you, Tracy. Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii is pleased to honor attorney Derek James Brow. Mr. Brow is licensed to practice law in the state of Hawaii and the state of Washington. He currently practices as an attorney advisor for the United States Marine Corps at Marine Corps-based Hawaii. Mr. Brow is also a certified judge advocate for the United States Army and currently serves as an administrative law attorney for the 311th Signal Command Theater at Fort Shafter Hawaii. Mr. Brow earned a Juris Doctorate in law from the William S. Richardson School of Law at University of Hawaii. He also earned a bachelor's degree in economics and a minor in Chinese from the University of Hawaii at Manoa as well as a master's degree in LLM in Chinese civil and commercial law from the Renmin University of China School of Law. Mr. Brow is one of Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii's regular neighborhood legal clinic volunteer attorneys, assisting those with family matters at the downtown office as well as at VLSH's pop-up clinics around Oahu. Since COVID-19, Mr. Brow has shifted to VLSH's virtual phone legal clinics multiple times a month, assisting hundreds of clients since he started volunteering with VLSH and logging over 156 pro bono hours in 2020 alone. He would like to share, he is grateful for the opportunity to use his law license to serve the community and help those in need of legal services. Mr. Brow would like to thank his parents, James and An Brow for mentoring him and for being amazing role models for him throughout his life. Mr. Brow would also like to thank his wife, Kim Lauren, for always supporting and motivating him to achieve his goals and for encouraging him to use his legal knowledge to help others. He looks forward to continue providing pro bono legal services to the communities of Hawaii for many years to come. Thank you. Thank you, Serena, and congratulations to Derek. And finally, to wrap up this celebration, I welcome Honorable Brian Costa. He will share a few closing remarks. Judge Costa? Thank you, Tracy. In closing, I'd like to thank the sponsors of the pro bono celebration, which include the Hawaii State Fire Foundation, the Hawaii Justice Foundation, the Hawaii State Fire Association, Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, and also the law firm sponsors of the Student Essay Contest. This important celebration is put on every year during National Pro Bono Week and is normally held in the courtroom at the Hawaii Supreme Court. Chief Justice Rectonwald and the Supreme Court have always supported and encouraged pro bono work and this important celebration as it honors and recognizes all those that have given their time and expertise to help those that are in need. Unfortunately, this year, because of the pandemic, we were unable to have an in-person celebration at the Supreme Court and we had to seek different alternatives. A special thanks needs to be made to the individuals on the pro bono initiatives committee that helped to put this year's celebration together along with Think Tech Hawaii and Jay Fidel. Without the committee and the support of Jay Fidel and Think Tech Hawaii, this year's celebration would simply not have been possible. Once again, I would also like to congratulate our Student Essay Contest winners for their service and their outstanding essays. I also thank all of our honorees, legal service providers and volunteers for everything that they do and for helping those in need in our state, especially during these difficult times. I hope that this celebration has inspired others to get involved and to look for different ways to assist those in our community. Now more than ever, we must come together to assist those in our community to need our help during this pandemic. All of our lives have been changed forever by it. We can make a difference and we should all strive to do so every single day. Thank you for joining us for this celebration and I hope everyone stays safe. Thank you everyone.