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Gov. Neil Abercrombie Friday named local attorney Lorraine Akiba to replace John Cole on the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission when Cole’s term ends June 30.
Akiba is a partner at McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP, where she heads the firm’s Environmental Practice Group.
From 1995 to 2000 Akiba served as director of the state Department Labor and Industrial Relations. She also is a former chairwoman of the state Environmental Council and the Democratic Party of Hawaii.
Her legal background includes practice in commercial and real estate litigation, health care law, environmental and natural resources law, construction litigation and government relations.
Akiba has served on legal organizations including the Hawaii State Bar Association, Hawaii Women Lawyer Foundation, National Conference of Women’s Bar Association and Environmental Law Institute.
Akiba holds a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.