Judge Clarissa Y. Malinao: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Clarissa Y. Malinao is a judge for the O’ahu First Circuit Court of Hawai’i in Honolulu County. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor David Ige in 2021, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Edwin C. Nacino.

Malinao has held an assignment in the Criminal Division and has presided over the Mental Health Court, the Drug Court, HOPE, and the Veterans Treatment Court. She initially joined the bench as a per diem judge for the O’ahu First Circuit District Court in 2019.

She received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Seattle University. Malinao then completed a J.D. at Whittier College School of Law.

She began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Marcia J. Waldorf and the Hon. Michael A. Town with the O’ahu First Circuit Court. Malinao went on to work as a deputy public defender before entering private practice, focusing on criminal defense and family law matters.

She was a Re-Employment and Community Service Work Program volunteer attorney with Volunteer Legal Services of Hawai’i and a lawyer delegate to the United States District Court for the District of Hawai’i. Malinao has also been active with the Hawai’i State Bar Association and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association and Independent Grand Jury counsel in the First Circuit.

In 2020, she was named Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney Honoree and a Hawai’i State Bar Association Leadership Institute Fellow.

Malinao was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.