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Susan Oki Mollway
First Asian American Woman on Federal District Court
With a career notable for its distinctions and honors, Judge Mollway, the first Asian American women appointed to the federal bench, is a trailblazer for all jurists. Born in 1950 in Hawaii, Judge Mollway, the daughter of a decorated World War II veteran, has dedicated her career to promoting civil rights and addressing women's issues. She graduated with distinction from the University of Hawaii with a bachelor of arts degree in English Literature in 1971, and she went on to receive her masters degree in English Literature in 1973. The same year, Judge Mollway worked as an English Instructor at the University of Hawaii and was awarded the Alpha Lambda Delta Book Award for her work in English Literature.
In 1975, Judge Mollway left Hawaii to teach English Literature at Takushoku University in Tokyo, Japan. After arriving in Tokyo, she became the Editor of Charles E. Tuttle Publishing Company. Returning to the United States two years later, Judge Mollway attended Harvard Law School and continued her editing work for the Harvard Civil Rights - Civil Liberties Law Review as the book review editor in 1979 and the Editor-in-Chief in 1980. She graduated cum laude from Harvard in 1981, and subsequently began her legal career as a litigation associate for the law firm of Cades Schutte Fleming and Wright in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Judge Mollway returned to teaching in 1988 and 1989 as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law. In addition to working as a litigator and teaching law, Judge Mollway also served as an Arbitrator for the Court Annexed Arbitration Program for the State of Hawaii from 1989 until 1998.
Judge Mollway's dedication and commitment to the legal community did not go unnoticed. She was appointed to the United States District Court for the District for Hawaii in 1998 by President Clinton, becoming the first Asian American women appointed to the federal bench.
Throughout her career as a jurist, Judge Mollway has been dedicated to improving her community and the lives of women. She has not only served on the Board of Directors for the Hawaii Women Layers, the Hawaii Justice Foundation, the Hawaii American Civil Liberties Union, and the Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation, but she also served as a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Judge Mollway has been rewarded for her continued effort by being recognized as the Outstanding Women Lawyer of the Year by the Hawaii Women's Lawyers Association in 1987 and receiving the Trailblazer Award by the National Asian Pacific American Bar in 1998. In addition to service to her community, Judge Mollway continues her academic endeavors and most recently served as contributing author of Betty Morrison Vitousek, Called From Within - Early Women Lawyers of Hawaii.
After 32 years of service, Judge Mollway continues to serve as a role model for her community and all jurists as an active federal district judge.
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