Honolulu attorney Jeffrey Portnoy and former state Rep. Tommy Waters have been appointed to six-year terms on the state Judicial Selection Commission.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed Portnoy to replace Shelton Jim On, whose term expires April 1. He was appointed by former Gov. Linda Lingle.

Portnoy, 63, a senior partner in the Cades Schutte law firm who served as president of the Hawaii State Bar Association in 2007, has specialized in civil litigation, including representing Honolulu media companies.

Portnoy also is a member of the city Ethics Commission.

Waters was appointed by House Speaker Calvin Say to replace Ralph LaFountaine, whose term also expires April 1.

Waters, 45, of the Hawk Sing Ignacio and Waters law firm, is a former deputy public defender who served three terms until 2008 as a Democratic state representative for Lanikai and Waimanalo.

The nine-member Judicial Selection Commission screens applicants and submits names of  candidates to the governor and chief justice for appointments to the bench.

The commission also decides whether judges and justices receive succeeding terms.