History of The Legal Clinic

Encouraged by the vision and dynamic leadership of immigration attorney Esther Arinaga, founding organizers obtain support from First United Methodist Church (FUMC) as a fiscal sponsor of TLC.
Immigration attorney John Egan becomes TLC’s first board president.
TLC co-sponsors citizen workshops with Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi.
TLC board member Imam Elsheik becomes a plaintiff in Hawaiʻi's lawsuit challenging the 42nd President's travel bans on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
Under Board President Amy Wake's leadership, TLC obtains critical seed funding and office space from FUMC.
TLC joins Immigration Law & Justice Network (formerly National Justice for Our Neighbors) as the Hawaiʻi affiliate site.

TLC obtains 501(c)(3) status as an independent nonprofit and opens its office at First United Methodist Church (FUMC).
TLC hires its first executive director and first staff attorney.
TLC partners with UNITE HERE Local 5, volunteers, and area churches to put on citizenship workshops.
The Young Lawyers Division of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association presents TLC with a Liberty Bell award.

Fundraising success allows TLC to add a program coordinator and legal assistant to the staff
TLC and Honolulu join the Cities for Citizenship Initiative of National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA)
In light of a global health pandemic, TLC moves to remote services and safely continues to assist clients
TLC CARES, a 3-month intensive relief effort provides cash assistance to 1,336 low-income households in dire need and provides multilingual Covid-19 health & safety info to 52,000+ limited English speakers.

TLC hires a second immigration attorney to focus on removal defense for clients with orders of removal.

TLC's reputation for providing high-quality and compassionate care grows in the community as the scope of services and the number of clients served increases.
Services are extended to neighbor islands in collaboration with the UH Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic.
NPNA invites TLC to become an official member of its national immigrant justice network.
TLC celebrates Esther Arinaga, William Hoshijo, and Patricia McManaman as Guardians of Immigrant Justice.

TLC sponsors a year of capacity-building for Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights.
Newly "Accredited Representative " Lia Nakao (staff paralegal) is federally approved to provide immigration legal services without a law degree.
A new senior attorney and new legal assistant join TLC.
TLC opens its second office location in downtown Honolulu.
TLC signs a first-time contract with the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary to provide immigration legal services to local residents.
Hawai'i congressional delegates recognize TLC's good work by helping to obtain federal appropriations funding.
TLC celebrates John R. Egan, The Honorable Mazie K. Hirono, and KNDI Radio 1270 AM as Guardians of Immigrant Justice.

TLC launches a three-part webinar series in partnership with the nonprofit organization Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi and the City and County of Honolulu Office of Economic Revitalization.
TLC celebrates Amefil “Amy” Agbayani as a Guardian of Immigrant Justice.