Erin M. Kobayashi
Founding Partner
Erin M. Kobayashi has devoted her entire legal career to the practice of family law in Hawaii. She practices in all areas of family law to include divorce and post-divorce matters (including child custody, child support, property division, and alimony issues), paternity matters, adoptions, and guardianships. Ms. Kobayashi received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2002 and her Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii in 2011.
In 2011, Ms. Kobayashi joined the Law Office of Mei Nakamoto, practicing exclusively in the area of family law and advocating for those with sensitive and challenging matters, from divorce, paternity, child custody and child support actions to domestic abuse and child welfare cases.
In 2016, Ms. Kobayashi joined Kleintop & Luria, LLP, a firm with a reputation throughout Hawai’i for excellence, professionalism, and the highest standards of integrity. There, Ms. Kobayashi’s work included handling divorce cases ranging from simple, uncontested matters to extremely complex cases involving extensive assets and complicated child custody issues.
Education
J.D., William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii, 2011
James Hoenig Scholarship, Spring 2011
Extern, Honorable Sabrina S. McKenna, Honorable R. Mark Browning, and the Honorable Christine E. Kuriyama
B.A., University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2002
Admissions
State of Hawaii, 2011
Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers
Ones to Watch, 2023 – 2024
Super Lawyers
Rising Stars, 2018 – 2024
Hawaii State Bar Association President’s Award, 2019
Hawaii State Bar Association Leadership Institute, Fellow, 2015
Professional Associations & Memberships
Hawaii State Bar Association
Secretary, 2025
Director (Oahu), 2019 2024
Judicial Administration Committee Member, 2022 to Present
Family Law Section, Secretary, 2017 – 2018
Child Law Section, Chair, 2019 – 2020
Hawaii Women Lawyers
Treasurer, 2017 to Present
Secretary, 2014 – 2016
Director, 2012 – 2014
American Bar Association, Member
Section: Family Law
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Member
Kapolei Access to Justice Room, Volunteer Attorney, 2013 to Present (as requested)
William S. Richardson School of Law
Law Professor, Lawyering Skills, 2024 to Present
Volunteer Team Coach for the Client Counseling Team, 2022 to Present
Volunteer Attorney for the Client Counseling Team, 2012 – 2019
Volunteer Attorney for the Family Law course (instructed by Professor Calvin Pang), 2014, 2018 – 2019, 2021 – 2022
Guest Judge for the Final Round of the 2019 Regional Client Counseling Competition, 2019
Guest Lecturer for the Pretrial Litigation course (instructed by Professor Mei Nakamoto), 2019
Volunteer Settlement Master, Family Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii, Present
Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii, Volunteer Attorney, 2012 – 2016