U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono have announced the formation of a federal judicial selection commission to help to fill a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii.

The seat will become vacant following the retirement from active service of Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway on Nov. 6.

Candidates interested in applying for the pending vacancy are asked to submit applications to the commission by April 3, which is just a week from Friday.

Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway.

Ed Gross/The Image Group

The Commission has seven members, with three appointed by each senator and a chair jointly agreed upon.

Schatz appointed Nadine Ando (a partner at Sullivan Meheula Lee), Keith W. Hunter (founder, CEO and president of Dispute Prevention & Resolution) and Emily Kawashima Waters (a Honolulu attorney and former deputy prosecuting attorney for the city).

Hirono appointed Grant Chun (an attorney and VP with A&B Properties), Patsy Saiki (an executive and attorney with First American Title) and Alan Van Etten (a past president of the Hawaii State Bar Association.

Louise Ing, founder of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, will serve as chair of the commission.

Email usjsc@ahfi.com or us.judicial.selection@ahfi.com for more information, or call (808) 441-6225.