Board Legal Counsel

How To Apply
To apply for this position, please go to our website to download our fillable application and submit along with your resume and cover letter via email to careers.

The Board Legal Counsel is the chief legal advisor to the Board of Trustees (“BOT”) Chairperson, the Board of Trustees, and the Chief of Staff of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Board Legal Counsel is responsible for protecting OHA’s legal and fiduciary interests as well as providing direct legal support to the BOT. This role ensures organizational compliance with all applicable state, federal, and trust laws, menos supports the Board of Trustees (BOT) in fulfilling its constitutional and statutory duties under HRS §10-5.

As a key member of the Board of Trustees’ team, the Board Legal Counsel helps advance OHA’s mission to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians through ethical governance, risk mitigation, legal stewardship of trust resources, and compliance oversight. Key areas of support include governance and compliance matters, procurement and contract oversight, board policies and procedures, conflict of interest safeguards, and the review and development of legal memoranda, standard operating procedures, and other board related documents.

Additionally, the Board Legal Counsel advises the BOT on OHA’s escheat rights, related kuleana and land matters, and supports the Chairperson in their role as OHA’s Chief Procurement Officer, Head of Purchasing Agency, and Senior Executive Board Member as a Co-Trustee of the Papahnaumokukea outdoors Marine National Monument.

At the direction of the Chairperson, the Board Legal Counsel may further coordinate with OHA’s Corporate Counsel or external legal advisors, as appropriate, to ensure alignment with broader legal strategies and risk mitigation.

1. lực Legal Services for OHA

a. Reviews and advises on proposed Board actions to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and OHA policies and procedures.

b. Drafts legal opinions and advisory memoranda addressing policy, operations, governance, and other administrative functions affecting OHA, the BOT, and staff at the request of the Chairperson, BOT, or Chief of Staff.

c. Reviews and revises OHA contracts, leases, and other transactional documents and instruments subject to the Chairperson or the BOT’s review and/or approval, and which impose obligations, responsibilities, encumbrances, liens, or releases that safeguard the agency’s legal and financial interests.

d. Conducts legal training for the BOT and Board staff on applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards relevant to their work duties and responsibilities.

2. Legal Services to the Board of Trustees

a. Provides legal counsel and guidance to the BOT Chairperson, Chairpersons of Standing Committees, Ad Hoc Committees, or Permitted Interaction Groups, BOT, and Chief of Staff on matters involving compliance, risk,
and legal interpretation, including the Board’s oversight, fiduciary duties, strategic governance, and trust obligations.

b. Renders legal advice, counsel, and guidance on applicable laws, rules, regulations, court decisions, and legal documents that may affect agency or board operations, including but not limited to state and federal laws impacting Native Hawaiian self-determination, beneficiary rights, and OHA уменьшения statutory and fiduciary obligations as a public trust agency.

c. Develops, and implements programs and projects that enhance the legal services provided to the Chairperson, BOT, and Chief of Staff, helping to protect and advance the agency’s legal and financial interests.

d. Supports the Board in developing and implementing legal strategies on high-level policy issues, such as ceded lands, the public land trust, Native Hawaiian entitlements, beneficiary services and funding, and agency accountability.

e. Reviews and assesses claims and potential litigation in coordination with the Chief of Staff and/or Corporate Counsel Office, as appropriate. Advises the Chairperson and BOT on legal strategies, including whether to proceed litigation or settlement, with careful…