David M. Louie
Encyclopedia
David M. Louie is a second generation Chinese American
, serving as Attorney General of Hawaii
.
by his father Paul and mother Emma. His father, Presbyterian
minister and Seattle-native Paul Louie, was one of three founders of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
and a member of the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. Father and mother sent the younger Louie to study at Occidental College
in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1973 before attending Boalt Hall School of Law
at University of California, Berkeley
where he obtained his Juris Doctor
in 1977. He was then admitted to the State Bar of California
that same year, joining Hawaii's bar in 1978. Louie was admitted to the bar of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
.
, a state agency charged with developing the land around the Aloha Tower to benefit the state's commercial trade industry based at Honolulu harbor
while at the same time providing the residents of Hawaii with ample access to the downtown waterfront. Also in 1999, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Supreme Court Special Committee on Judicial Performance and at the time of appointment to the attorney general's office, served as its vice chairman. Louis served as Lawyer Representative for the United States Court of Appeals
Ninth Circuit
from 2005 to 2008 and from 2008 to 2010, he served as Northwest Regional Governor for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
Louie was appointed on December 19, 2010 by Democrat
Governor
Neil Abercrombie
as Attorney General of Hawaii
. The chief legal officer is not an elected office and is appointed by the Governor in accordance with Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Hawaii
, subject to confirmation by the Hawaii Senate
. The office holder historically serves as acting governor upon the absence of both the governor and lieutenant governor from the Hawaiian Islands. Louie officially succeeds Mark J. Bennett
, whose appointment as attorney general ended with the term of Republican
Governor Linda Lingle
.
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
, serving as Attorney General of Hawaii
Attorney General of Hawaii
The Attorney General of Hawaii is the chief legal and law enforcement officer of Hawaii. In present-day statehood within the United States, he or she is appointed by the elected governor with the approval of the state senate and is responsible for a state department charged with advising the...
.
Early Life and Education
Born in Oakland, Louie was raised in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
by his father Paul and mother Emma. His father, Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
minister and Seattle-native Paul Louie, was one of three founders of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California is located in Los Angeles Chinatown, at 415 Bernard Street. Its Chinatown Heritage & Visitors Center is open to the public...
and a member of the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. Father and mother sent the younger Louie to study at Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1973 before attending Boalt Hall School of Law
UC Berkeley School of Law
The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, commonly referred to as Berkeley Law and Boalt Hall, is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley Law is consistently regarded as an elite and prestigious law school...
at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
where he obtained his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1977. He was then admitted to the State Bar of California
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
that same year, joining Hawaii's bar in 1978. Louie was admitted to the bar of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii is the principal trial court of the United States Federal Court System in the state of Hawaii. It is located at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building in downtown Honolulu, fronting the Aloha Tower and Honolulu Harbor. The court hears both...
.
Legal Career
Louie served as director, vice president and president of the Hawaii Bar Association from 1995 to 2001. From 1999 to 2006, Louie served as chairman of the Aloha Tower Development CorporationAloha Tower
The Aloha Tower is a lighthouse that is considered one of the landmarks of the state of Hawaii in the United States. Opened on September 11, 1926, the Aloha Tower is located at Pier 9 of Honolulu Harbor. It has and continues to be a guiding beacon welcoming vessels to the City and County of Honolulu...
, a state agency charged with developing the land around the Aloha Tower to benefit the state's commercial trade industry based at Honolulu harbor
Honolulu Harbor
Honolulu Harbor, also called Kulolia and Ke Awa O Kou, is the principal seaport of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii in the United States. It is from Honolulu Harbor, located on Mamala Bay, that the City & County of Honolulu was developed and urbanized, in an outward fashion, over the course of the...
while at the same time providing the residents of Hawaii with ample access to the downtown waterfront. Also in 1999, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Supreme Court Special Committee on Judicial Performance and at the time of appointment to the attorney general's office, served as its vice chairman. Louis served as Lawyer Representative for the United States Court of Appeals
United States court of appeals
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
from 2005 to 2008 and from 2008 to 2010, he served as Northwest Regional Governor for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
Louie was appointed on December 19, 2010 by Democrat
Democratic Party of Hawaii
The Democratic Party of Hawaii is an arm of the Democratic Party of the United States based in Honolulu, Hawaii. The party is a centralized organization established to promote the party platform as drafted in convention biennially...
Governor
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie is the 7th and current Governor of Hawaii. He was the Democratic U.S. Representative of the First Congressional District of Hawaii which comprises urban Honolulu. He served in Congress from 1986 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2010 when he resigned to successfully run for governor...
as Attorney General of Hawaii
Attorney General of Hawaii
The Attorney General of Hawaii is the chief legal and law enforcement officer of Hawaii. In present-day statehood within the United States, he or she is appointed by the elected governor with the approval of the state senate and is responsible for a state department charged with advising the...
. The chief legal officer is not an elected office and is appointed by the Governor in accordance with Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Hawaii
Constitution of Hawaii
The Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi refers to various legal documents throughout the history of the Hawaiian Islands that defined the fundamental principles of authority and governance within its sphere of jurisdiction. Numerous constitutions have been promulgated for the Kingdom of Hawaii,...
, subject to confirmation by the Hawaii Senate
Hawaii Senate
The Hawaii State Senate is the upper chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature. The senate consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands. The senate is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membership of the body, currently...
. The office holder historically serves as acting governor upon the absence of both the governor and lieutenant governor from the Hawaiian Islands. Louie officially succeeds Mark J. Bennett
Mark J. Bennett
Mark J. Bennett is a Honolulu, Hawaii attorney and served as Attorney General of Hawaii from 2003 to 2010 in the two-term administration of Republican Governor Linda Lingle. He is the first attorney general appointed by a Republican governor since the governorship of William F. Quinn, the first...
, whose appointment as attorney general ended with the term of Republican
Hawaii Republican Party
The Hawaii Republican Party is the state affiliate of the Republican Party of the United States. Based in Honolulu, the party is a central organization established for the promotion of the party platform as it is drafted in convention every other year...
Governor Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...
.