GOVERNOR LINGLE APPOINTS KATHLEEN WATANABE TO THE CIRCUIT COURT
For Immediate Release: February 19, 2005
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has named State Human Resources Director Kathleen N. A. Watanabe to the Fifth Circuit Court on Kaua`i. Watanabe, who served as a per diem judge for the District Court of the Fifth Circuit from 1995 to 1998, as well as Kaua`i County Attorney from 1990 to 1994, will fill the seat previously held by Judge Clifford Nakea, who retired. Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
“The comments of support I received from numerous people from Kaua`i and throughout the state who have worked and interacted with Kathy, confirm what I have seen first hand while working with her these past two years,” said Governor Lingle. “Kathy has an outstanding work ethic, she treats people with fairness, respect and compassion, and her integrity is beyond reproach. I appreciate the contributions Kathy has made to my Administration and to the state, and now I am proud to appoint her to the bench, where she will continue her career as a dedicated public servant.”
Watanabe has served as the director of the state Department of Human Resources Development since January 2003. Prior to that she headed the department’s Employee Relations Division, which involved overseeing labor relations issues, negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, employee relations, benefits, training and safety.
Previously, Watanabe was supervising deputy attorney general in the Employment Law Division of the Department of the Attorney General, where she supervised numerous trials and appeals in both state and federal courts. She also was supervising deputy attorney general for the Individual Claims Unit.
She has also served as a hearings officer for the Hawaiian Homelands Commission, a social worker for the Department of Health, a guidance counselor for Kamehameha Schools and Alu Like, a tutor with the Department of Education, and a law clerk with the State House of Representatives.
Watanabe also had a private legal practice with an emphasis in administrative and employment law.
Watanabe is a member of the Hawai`i State Bar Association. She is the vice-chair of the Hawai`i Employer-Union Trust Fund, chair of the State of Hawai`i Deferred Compensation Board of Trustees, and a board member of the Judiciary’s Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
She is a graduate of the University of Hawai`i William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Puget Sound, and Kapa`a High School
Governor Lingle selected Watanabe from a list of six candidates that was submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission earlier this month. Watanabe is Governor Lingle’s seventh appointee to the Circuit Court bench. The Governor has also appointed one justice to the Hawai`i Supreme Court and two to the Intermediate Court of Appeals.
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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043 / 382-7023
