Russell Suzuki

Russell A. Suzuki is an American attorney and was the 15th Attorney General of Hawaii. He was nominated on March 14, 2018 by Governor David Ige,[1] and was confirmed by the Hawaii Senate on March 29, 2018.[2] He served until January 2019, when Governor Ige appointed Clare E. Connors as his successor.

Russell Suzuki
15th Attorney General of Hawaii
In office
February 2, 2018 – January 3, 2019
Acting: February 2, 2018 – March 29, 2018
GovernorDavid Ige
Preceded byDoug Chin
Succeeded byClare E. Connors
In office
December 1, 2014 – March 12, 2015
Acting
GovernorDavid Ige
Preceded byDavid M. Louie
Succeeded byDoug Chin
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Hawaii, Manoa (BA)
Ohio State University (JD)

Education

Suzuki attended Leilehua High School.[3] He subsequently obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii and also obtained a J.D. from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.[4][3]

Career

Suzuki was admitted to the Hawaii State bar in 1977.[4] He initially practiced criminal defense law, family law, business law, and military law at the law offices of Yoshiro Nakamura. He subsequently moved to the public sector and was employed with the Department of the Attorney General as Supervising Deputy Attorney General of the Administration Division and Education Division. He then served as First Deputy Attorney General under Attorneys General Douglas Chin, David M. Louie, and Mark J. Bennett. He has also served as counsel to various state boards and commissions, including the Land Use Commission, the Board of Education, the Board of Regents, the Employees’ Retirement System, the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, and the Judicial Selection Commission.[5]

In 2014, Suzuki was appointed as acting Attorney General of Hawaii when newly elected Governor David Ige chose not to reappoint David Louie, the previous Attorney General.[6] Suzuki served in an interim capacity until Douglas Chin was appointed Attorney General in 2015.[7] After serving as First Deputy Attorney General under Chin for three years, Suzuki was again appointed acting Attorney General of Hawaii on February 2, 2018 when Chin stepped down in order to assume office as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii.[8]

On March 14, 2018 Governor David Ige appointed Suzuki Attorney General of Hawaii on an official basis.[5] He served until the following year, when Ige nominated lawyer Clare E. Connors as the new Attorney General on January 3, 2019.[9]

References
  1. "Governor appoints longtime public sector attorney to AG post". Hawaii News Now. Raycom Media. March 14, 2018.
  2. "Senate Confirms Suzuki as Attorney General". Hawaii News Now. Raycom Media. March 29, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  3. "Governor fills five administrative posts". Hawaii News Now. Raycom Media. 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  4. "Directory Results". Hawaii State Bar Association. Hawaii State Bar Association. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  5. "GOVERNOR'S OFFICE – NEWS RELEASE – GOV. IGE APPOINTS RUSSELL SUZUKI TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL, TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THE STATE". governor.hawaii.gov. State of Hawaii. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  6. Grube, Nick (December 1, 2014). "Louie Out, Hawaii To Get New Attorney General". Honolulu Civil Beat. Honolulu Civil Beat Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  7. Reyes, B.J. (January 16, 2015). "Ige names attorney general, PUC chairman". Honolulu Star Advertiser. staradvertiser.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  8. "Doug Chin to serve as lieutenant governor, but still plans to run for Congress". Hawaii News Now. Raycom Media. February 2, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  9. Cocke, Sophie (January 3, 2019). "Gov. David Ige taps Clare Connors for attorney general". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
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