A family lawyer, educator, social worker, and child advocate, Katie has many years experience settling and litigating disputes in the areas of divorce, paternity, guardianship, adoption, and child welfare.
In addition to her private family mediation practice, Katie regularly mediates for the State of Hawai’i Family Court of the First Circuit’s On-Site Paternity Mediation Pilot Program and the O’ahu Child Welfare Mediation Program at the Ronald T.Y. Moon Judiciary Complex in Kapolei.
Licensed to practice law in Hawai’i since 2005, Katie is a member of
the Family Law, Child Law, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Sections of the Hawai’i State Bar Association, the Hawai’i Association for Conflict Resolution, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and has served on the board of Mental Health America of Hawai’i since 2007, including two years as Board President.
Katie was honored to receive the Hawai’i Access to Justice Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service in 2014 and the National Association of Social Workers – Hawai’i Chapter Social Justice and Advocacy Award in 2015.
Katie has been actively mediating family disputes since 2007. Her experience is in mediating complex family issues including divorce, custody, relocation, adoption, guardianship, and child welfare and placement. Katie’s background in child development, family systems theory, mental health and substance abuse challenges, as well as other family dynamics help her to resolve seemingly intractable disputes.
Born and raised in Nu’uanu Valley, Katie’s practice focuses on supporting families in transition reach child-focused settlement agreements. As a mother of three children, she understands the toxic effect sustained parental conflict and litigation can have on families. With a background in law, family systems theory, child welfare, mental health, and child development, Katie understands the complexities and pitfalls of co-parenting from separate households.
In addition to a law degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law, Katie has a Master of Social Work from the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work where she also served as faculty teaching courses in history and policy from 2011-2017. In the summer of 2017, Katie attended Pepperdine Law School’s Straus Institute’s six-day training “Mediating the Litigated Case”.
Mediation fee is $325 per hour. Associate Mediators bill at $285 per hour and $250 per hour
