Amy Lawson Woodward is an associate at the Law Office of William H. Lawson, concentrating her practice in the area of plaintiff’s personal injury litigation. Prior to joining her father’s firm in 2016, Ms. Woodward practiced law at Carlsmith Ball LLP, in the firm’s Honolulu office. At Carlsmith Ball, Ms. Woodward’s practice focused predominantly on litigating commercial disputes, however, she was also part of a team of lawyers that defended one of the firm’s largest national clients in personal injury matters. This personal injury defense experience inspired Ms. Woodward to join her father’s practice, and to litigate on behalf of plaintiffs who have suffered life-altering injuries. Ms. Woodward is recognized as a “Top 10 Under 40” personal injury attorney in Hawaii by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys (NAOPIA).

While in law school, Ms. Woodward externed at the Hawaii Supreme Court, the United States District Court in San Diego and the United States Circuit Court, Ninth Circuit. Ms. Woodward received her J.D. degree magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from the University of San Diego School of Law, where she was in the top 2% of her class. She also studied abroad (at home on Oahu) at the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law for her final semester of law school.

Ms. Woodward was also a member of the University of San Diego Law Review. She received numerous scholastic awards including CALI Excellence for the Future Awards (awarded to the highest grade) in her Contracts, Constitutional Law I, Professional Responsibility, Corporations, and Conflicts of Law courses.

Prior Experience

• Carlsmith Ball LLP, Litigation Department
• Judicial Extern to the Honorable M.Margaret McKeown, United States Circuit Court, Ninth Circuit
• Judicial Extern to the Honorable Marilyn L. Huff, United States District Court, Southern District of California
• Judicial Extern to the Honorable Mark E. Recktenwald, Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court

Publications

• Co-author with Kenji Price, “The Mysterious Alford Plea Raises Evidentiary Challenges”,June 7, 2016, Law360

Distinctions

• USD Faculty Law Academic Scholarship 2011-2014
• USD Academic Achievement Scholarship 2012-2013
• CALI Award (highest grade) in Contracts, Constitutional Law I, Professional Responsibility, Corporations, and Conflicts of Law (University of Hawaii)
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude
• Order of the Coif
• University of San Diego Law Review
• Research Assistant to Professor Mark Lee and Professor Frank Partnoy (F.I.A.S.C.O.; Infectious Greed; The Match King; WAIT: The Art and Science of Delay).
• “Top 10 Under 40” Personal Injury Attorney in Hawaii from the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys (NAOPIA)