CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Lyn Flanagan Anzai is intent on getting Hawaii lawyers more involved in the community.

Anzai brings activist
spirit to the bar

Lyn Flanagan Anzai >> Position: Executive director, Hawaii State Bar Association >> Past positions: Vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Hawaiian Airlines; Senior counsel, corporate investment division, Kamehameha Schools; private practice attorney, Goodsill Anderson Quinn and Stifle >> Boards: East West Center, Red Cross of Hawaii, YWCA of Oahu, Friends of the William S. Richardson Law School

What will you do as executive director of the Hawaii State Bar Association?

I'll be trying to coordinate all the bar association activities. We're basically a trade organization of all lawyers licensed to practice in the state of Hawaii. There are restrictions to the activities we can undertake, but I hope we can be involved with a lot of organizations in the community.

What goal or objectives do you have for the association?

As executive director, you work with a board and the president of the bar. The president and about 50 percent of the board changes every year. But there are some constants I'd like to bring so the board is not flip-flopping around and doing different things every year. I'd like to work with the board and leadership and carry out long-term goals that the association has worked on. I've done a certain amount of community and liaison work. I'd like to raise the awareness in the bar with the sort of things and the sort of influence in educational programs we can undertake that challenges the members of the bar.

What types of restrictions does the association face?

Because we're a unified bar and membership is mandatory, we can't use funding sources to get involved in political or ideological activities. But we can develop educational programs, forums, activities that can bring members of the bar into the community in a beneficial sort of way. One of the long-term strategies of the bar association is to enhance the quality of the practice of law. We have a lot of continuing educational programs that are both technical in the practice of law and informational as far as different issues. We will continue those and, hopefully at the same time, enhance the reputation of the lawyers and those members of the organizations by letting the community know what lawyers do both individually and as a group. And, perhaps with some of the different forums that we have, nudge some of our members to get involved in community activities. We have 4,000 active members of the bar association and, if you think about the businesses represented, it's a large organization.

In your opinion, are there too many attorneys in Hawaii?

Not all of those people are in private practice. A lot are in judiciary, in state government, in private business working in legal or business situations. I don't think there's too many lawyers.

In what types of law are attorneys needed in the state?

Needs shift with the economy and the needs of the community. When the economy is bad, there's more work in the bankruptcy or restructuring areas. When the economy is good, there are more people doing (initial public offering) or venture capital work. Litigation work goes up or down with the economy. The needs shift.

You've worked with the federal judiciary, in private practice and with both public and nonprofit entities. What were the similarities and differences in your work?

When you're working in the judiciary, you're looking at both sides and developing opinions as to applying the law to the issues that are brought to you. When you're working in private practice, you're an advocate to your client, trying to protect your client's interest. When you go in-house, you have an overall picture. That's why I enjoyed working in-house a lot because you see the overall picture of what the company is trying to do and the different transactions you're working on are the same legal issues. You're seeing how they fit into the overall business. That sets your priorities.

Tell me about your association with the East West Center ...

The East West Center is one of my passions. I was a grantee right out of Mills College in Northern California to work on a master's degree on Asian studies and Japanese language at the East West Center. I worked at the East West Center before and during law school and have served on the board and been involved in a lot of the East West Center conferences and programs. Most recently, I was involved in a conference on developing women's leadership. It's a fascinating program that overlaps a lot of the things that the YWCA is working on.

So that should about do it. Thank you for your time.

Aren't you going to ask me what book I'm reading now? I thought that's one of the questions you always ask for these types of interviews.

OK, what book are you reading now?

I'm reading "Bowling Alone," which was written by a sociologist, Robert Putnam. He discusses the disassociation of the American public, how individuals have been disconnected from their communities and their organizations. He calls it social capital.

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Inside Hawaii Inc. is a conversation with a member of the Hawaii business community who has changed jobs, been elected to a board or been recognized for accomplishments. Send questions and comments to business@starbulletin.com.