Project PIPELINE, short for Providing Individuals with pathways to Education in the Law in return for Negotiated Employment, was launched Wednesday morning in a ceremony at the Lee Auditorium.
It’s an effort by the Department of Legal Affairs, spearheaded by Attorney General Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde to address the shortage of attorneys in the territory. The first cohort comprises 28 ASG employees and 13 from the private sector.
The projects includes a two-year Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) prep program conducted online, along with mentoring.
Bishop Kolio Etuale Tumanuvao, who offered the invocation at the launching, encouraged the selected participants to persevere and call on the Lord’s guidance for success.
Attorney General Tauiliili-Langkilde said Project PIPELINE is an investment by the government in breaking down barriers that have stood in the way of aspiring attorneys.
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(Transc.) Langkilde: This program is not just about preparing for a test. It’s about opening doors that for far too long have remained closed to many of our talented and hardworking people. As we all know, the legal profession is one of great responsibility, one that requires not only intelligence and skill, but a deep understanding and commitment to the people and the communities that we serve. Unfortunately, the path to law school and ultimately to becoming an attorney presents a number of challenges for many members of our community. The Lsat, the admissions process, financial burdens, and the lack of mentorship have all stood as obstacles for aspiring lawyers from our territory. And this is why the project pipeline was created.
The AG said they will look for funding so that candidates who pass the LSAT would be able to apply for the Juris Doctorate on line program offered by the University of Hawaii Law School.
A workforce development grant from the Department of Commerce is funding the LSAT program. Director of Commerce Lina Petaia also gave remarks.
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(Transc.) Petaia: We recognize that strong legal profession is essential, essential for a just and equitable society, and we are committed to fostering the next generation of legal leaders. We are excited to announce our funding for the Lsat preparation course through our Planning and Community Service Block Grant programs. Through a workforce development initiative, this is a crucial step in making legal education accessible to aspiring law students.
LSAT instructor Brent Dunn and Tyler Gegler of the UH William Richardson Law School, Manoa addressed the gathering on line. They said the LSAT was a long and difficult journey, but is worth it.
Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula, in his remarks, praised Tauiliili-Langkilde for her leadership and spoke about the sacrifice she’s made to leave the judgeship to become AG.
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(Transc.) Pulaalii: I hope I won’t embarrass her, but she actually took over $35,000 pay cut to come from the court to work for the Attorney General position. Now, why am I sharing this to all of you? Because those of us who have had the opportunity to go out, you know, of our island, come back and serve. She’s gone to law school, come back and served. And this is the kind of service, knowing that our territory needs a lot of help in different areas of our community. So I want to thank her. And then now, three months at least into the administration. She hasn’t been there that long. And she’s starting this program for potential lawyers for our community.
