Each honored recipient will receive a $500.00 award and

be recognized at the 2016 Pro Bono Celebration

HONOLULU, HI – For the fourth year in a row, the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission is sponsoring an essay contest for high school students to encourage and recognize student volunteerism.

The essay contest is part of the 2016 Pro Bono Celebration honoring outstanding volunteer attorneys and law firms or offices, which have been selected by various legal services providers. In addition, the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission will acknowledge the dedicated attorney volunteers who provide short-term legal assistance to self-represented litigants at the Access to Justice Rooms (self-help centers) at the Honolulu District Court and at the Kapolei Family Courts.

The 2016 Pro Bono Celebration will be held at the Hawaii Supreme Court Courtroom in Honolulu on Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. The Pro Bono Celebration is sponsored by the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission with the support of the Hawaii State Bar Association and the Hawaii State Bar Foundation.

The essay contest is open to students in grades 10 to 12. This year’s theme is: “What you’ve done as a volunteer and how do you encourage others to volunteer?” The deadline for submissions is September 22, 2016. Three essays will be selected from the neighbor islands, and three essays will be chosen from the island of Oahu. Each honored recipient will receive a $500.00 award for his/her essay.

The Hawaii Access to Justice Commission was created in May 2008. The Commission’s primary purpose is to substantially increase access to justice in civil legal matters for low- and moderate-income residents of Hawaii. Information about the Commission may be obtained at http://www.hawaiijustice.org/hawaii-access-to-justice-commission.

The Hawaii State Bar Association is the unified bar association for all persons admitted to the practice of law in Hawaii, and serves to unite and inspire Hawaii lawyers to promote justice, serve the public, and improve the legal profession.

The Hawaii State Bar Foundation is a nonprofit organization organized to promote justice through programs such as access to justice for persons in need of legal services, civics education, and other public service programs and projects, including programs and projects of the Hawaii State Bar Association.

For further information on the Pro Bono Celebration, please contact Tracey Wiltgen at 808-521-6767 or tracey@mediatehawaii.org.