Mission Statement

HWLF is a charitable organization dedicated to programs that improve the lives of women and children in need and that promote the advancement of qualified women in all areas of the legal profession.

What We Do

Hawaii Women’s Legal Foundation (formerly the Hawaii Women Lawyers Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focusing on women’s issues and solutions that empower women in Hawai‘i. Our mission is to support projects that benefit women and children in the exercise of their legal rights, and to empower women in the legal profession.

HWLF holds one large fundraising event each year. View information on the current and past fundraisers by clicking on the fundraiser links. Grant awards from fundraiser proceeds are distributed during the year to entities that help women and children in need or otherwise support the rights of women and children.

Each year, HWLF presents the Rhoda Lewis Award, named after the first female member of the Hawaii Supreme Court, to a woman attorney who has devoted her career to public service. The 2012 Rhoda Lewis Award was given to Dina Shek, a 2006 graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai‘i, for her efforts in co-founding and operating the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai‘i, which provides free legal assistance to Kalihi Valley residents served by Kokua Kalihi Valley, a community health center.  The MLP is a new patient care model that aims to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable individuals, children and families by integrating legal assistance into the medical setting.

Since 2000, HWLF has been a co-sponsor along with Hawaii Women Lawyers in the Mothers’ Day Project, in which new cosmetics and toiletries are donated, collected, sorted, and placed into gift bags for disadvantaged children to give to their mothers or other important women in their lives on Mothers’ Day. The project has increased in size, from 100 goodie bags the first year to almost 2000 in 2010 and received the Public Service Award from the National Conference of Women’s Bar Association in 2009.

Gift Bags for the Mothers' Day Project

Donations may be made directly to the organization by contacting Kimberly DeJesus at (808) 754-3305 or via e-mail at kim@kdsshawaii.com. HWLF is also an Aloha United Way-approved agency, and our number, for those wishing to make donations through AUW via the Donor Choice Designation, is 74050.