(BIVN) – A new Task Force on Hawaiʻi Legal Services has been established by the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary to examine the growing shortage of attorneys in the state.

This week, Acting Chief Justice Sabrina S. McKenna has issued an order establishing the task force, which will work to develop recommendations to improve access to legal representation.

From a Hawaiʻi Judiciary news release:

The order cites a combination of declining attorney numbers and an aging legal workforce as key factors contributing to strain on Hawaiʻi’s legal infrastructure. According to the American Bar Association’s 2025 National Lawyer Population Survey, Hawaiʻi had 4,125 resident active attorneys as of December 2025—no change from the previous year and a 1.6 percent decrease since 2015. During that same period, the national attorney population increased by 5.6 percent.

Demographic trends further highlight the challenge. Approximately 43 percent of members of the Hawaii State Bar Association are over the age of 60, while the number of new attorneys entering the profession has declined significantly over the past several decades. These trends raise concerns about the availability of legal services across the state, including in criminal, civil, and family law matters, and particularly in underserved and rural communities.

“The availability of quality legal representation is essential to ensuring access to justice and the fair administration of our justice system,” said Acting Chief Justice McKenna. “This task force brings together a diverse group of leaders and stakeholders to help identify solutions that will broaden and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s legal services now and into the future.”

The Task Force will examine issues related to bar admission and the availability of attorneys and legal professionals statewide. Its work will include assessing current and projected needs, evaluating barriers to recruitment and retention, reviewing and recommending pathways to licensure, and considering training and regulatory approaches that may improve access to legal services while maintaining professional standards.

The Task Force will also identify strategies to support communities where access to legal representation is limited and recommend policies or programs to ensure the continued availability of qualified legal services.

Associate Justice Todd W. Eddins and Mark M. Murakami, an attorney and immediate past president of the HSBA, will serve as Co-Chairs of the Task Force. The Task Force includes members of the judiciary, private bar, government, and legal services communities.

The Task Force is to submit its final report with findings and recommendations to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court by September 30, 2027.

According to the order establishing the task force, membership shall consist of the following individuals:

• Associate Justice Todd W. Eddins
• Mark M. Murakami
• Mary Apodaca
• Bronson Avila
• Catherine Betts
• Judge Joseph Cardoza (ret.)
• Haley Chee
• Hayley Cheng
• Jessica Domingo
• Matthew Dvonch
• Terina Faʻagau
• Caycie Gusman Wong
• Daylin-Rose Heather
• Tiffany Kaeo
• Brandon Kimura
• Judge Leslie Kobayashi
• David Kopper
• Judge M. Kanani Laubach
• Gregory Markham
• Andrew Martin
• Associate Judge Sonja McCullen
• Emiko Meyers
• Judge Shellie Park-Hoapili
• Kristin Shigemura
• D. Kapuaʻala Sproat
• Dawn Sugihara
• Ellen Swick
• Craig Wagnild