Rhonda L. Griswold was named 2023 Outstanding Woman Lawyer by Hawaii Women Lawyers (HWL) during their annual awards last Saturday, May 6, 2023.
The Outstanding Woman Lawyer Award honors an individual attorney who has achieved accomplishments of significant merit which advance the mission of HWL, a nonprofit that seeks to improve the lives and careers of women in all aspects of the legal community, influence the future of the legal profession, enhance the status of women, and promote equal opportunities for all people.
Rhonda is Chair of the Trusts and Estates Department at Cades Schutte LLP and previously served on the firm’s Management Committee for six years. The HWL Board recognized Rhonda’s many achievements throughout her distinguished career, including in her practice with Cades Schutte and in her substantial volunteer service to our community.
Throughout her career of nearly 40 years, she has been a consistent informal and formal mentor to numerous Cades Schutte associates and partners and has also served on the firm’s Attorney Development & Training Committee. She has also been a strong advocate of work-life balance within both the firm and in the general legal profession, based on her own challenges in simultaneously juggling her career and raising two young children. She has promoted family-friendly policies for law firms when serving on the Hawaii State Bar Association (HSBA)’s first-ever quality of life committee, and also championed Cades Schutte’s first paid family leave policy and part-time work policy.
“We are incredibly proud of Rhonda and her many achievements, both in her practice at Cades Schutte and within the community,” said Amanda M. Jones of Cades Schutte’s Management Committee. “Rhonda is a valued member of our team, and we are thrilled that she has been recognized for her contributions to the legal profession and to the advancement of women in the field. Her dedication to mentoring and promoting work-life balance is an inspiration to all of us at Cades Schutte. Congratulations, Rhonda, on this well-deserved honor.”
Rhonda currently serves as President of the HSBA, Secretary and Director of the Hawaii Justice Foundation, and Director and former President of the Hawaii Women’s Legal Foundation. She also gives back to the community via her role as Treasurer and Director of The Cades Foundation.
