Hirono, Schatz vote to confirm Shanlyn Park to serve on U.S. District Court for Hawai‘i

Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) have spoken after voting to confirm Shanlyn A.S. Park to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai‘i.

Park was among those recommended to President Biden by Hirono and Schatz, and a merit-based Federal Judicial Selection Commission, and was confirmed by a bipartisan vote of 53-45.

“With decades of experience practicing law in Hawai‘i, Judge Park has led a distinguished career dedicated to public service. She has exhibited a commitment to justice, fairness, and impartiality throughout her career and is highly qualified to serve on the U.S. District Court,” Hirono and Schatz said. “As the first Native Hawaiian woman to serve as a federal district court judge, Judge Park’s confirmation reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building a federal judiciary that reflects the diversity of our communities. We were proud to support her nomination and know that she will serve Hawaii and our country with honor.”

Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park has been a state court judge on the First Circuit Court on Oahu since 2021. Previously, Judge Park worked from 2017 to 2021 at the Honolulu law firms McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon, L.L.P. and Gallagher Kane Amai & Reyes.

From 1997 to 2017, Judge Park served in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Hawaii. Prior to her service in that office, Judge Park was in private practice at Hisaka Stone & Goto from 1996 to 1997. She served as a law clerk for Magistrate Judge Francis I. Yamashita on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawai‘i from 1995 to 1996.

Judge Park received her J.D. from the University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law in 1995 and her B.A., cum laude, from Chaminade University of Honolulu in 1991.