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Patrick Koon Sinn Lono Yim served on the Board of Trustees from 2002-2021.

He brings with him an impressive history of judiciary experience and is well known for being a champion in the community for Hawai‘i’s youth.

Judge Yim received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawai‘i in 1964 and then went on to graduate from Boston University School of Law in 1967. Upon completion of law school he was employed as a field attorney in San Francisco. In 1968, Judge Yim returned to Hawai‘i where he took a position as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu. After two and a half years Judge Yim began working as a Referee in the Family Court. In 1973, he took a position as a District Family Court Judge in the First Circuit. For over ten years Judge Yim served diligently in the Family Court. On July 1, 1983, Judge Yim was appointed Acting Judge in the Seventh Division. Less than a year later on March 16, 1984, he was appointed as a judge in the Seventh Division, First Circuit. Judge Yim served in this capacity until December 30, 1994.

Judge Yim retired from the Judiciary in December 1994. He then worked in Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR), arbitrating or mediating cases in various areas of law. The more than 400 cases he has worked on have dealt with many subjects involving personal injury, professional malpractice, construction, real estate, domestic relations and labor law. Judge Yim also serves pro bono on the Appellate ADR Program with the Judiciary.

During the years that Judge Yim served in the Seventh Division, First Circuit he was chairman of the Judicial Arbitration Commission, chairman of the Permanent Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure, co-chair of the Committee on Standard Civil Jury Instructions, a member of the Committee on Family Court Rules, a member of the Committee on Uniform Probate Rules and a member of the Committee on Civil Operations. He also served as co-chair of the Conference on the Future of the Judiciary, president of the Hawai‘i State Trial Judge Association, chairman of the Judicial Education Committee and secretary of the Hawai‘i State Judicial Conference.

Throughout his career Judge Yim has fulfilled many judicial assignments including Trial Judge of the Criminal Division, Administrative Judge of the Civil Division, Trial Judge of the Domestic Violence Backlog Reduction Program, Administrative Judge of the Court Annexed Arbitration Program, and Probate and Guardianship Judge.

Outside of the court room Judge Yim has served the community in a variety of ways, which include serving as president of the Malama Na Keiki Foundation, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Hawai‘i Family Support Center – Healthy Start, chairman of the Traditional Peacemaking Committee of the Native Hawaiian Bar Association, member of the Civil Advisory Group – U.S. Army Pacific, the Pualeilani Choral Group, Pa Kui a Lua, the 200 Club, Hawaiian Lodge F.&A.M., Honolulu Elks Lodge 616 and past president of the Palama Settlement Board of Trustees.

Judge Yim has been recognized and awarded for his service by multiple local and national organizations. He received the O‘o Award in 1998 from the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, the ‘Firestone’s 100 Who Serve” Award in 2001, the Outstanding Advocate for Children and Youth which was awarded in 2001 by Governor and Mrs. Cayetano and Hawai‘i Kids’ watch.

Judge Yim is married to Santa Marie and they have three children: Laura, Eli and Matthew.