Clare E. Connors

As the United States Attorney, Clare E. Connors serves as the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of Hawaii. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii serves the State with 28 attorneys and more than 40 support staff. Ms. Connors was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., and confirmed by the United States Senate. As the State’s top-ranking federal law enforcement official, she oversees the prosecution of federal crimes related to national security, public corruption, drug trafficking, violent crime, child exploitation, complex fraud and other matters. The office also initiates affirmative civil actions and defends the United States in civil disputes.

Ms. Connors began her legal career with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where she served as a trial attorney in the Tax Division as well as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. She returned home to join the office she now leads, serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2004 to 2011 handling a variety of federal crimes but specializing in complex fraud, tax, public corruption, and child exploitation crimes. Ms. Connors then worked as a civil litigator and partner with the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston, where she handled consumer protection matters, wrongful death actions, medical malpractice claims on behalf of injured persons and other personal injury matters. In September 2015, then-President Barack Obama appointed her to serve as a federal district judge in the District of Hawaii; she was awaiting a Senate floor vote when the 2016 election occurred. Ms. Connors subsequently was appointed and confirmed to serve as the 16th Attorney General of the State of Hawaii. During her three years as Attorney General, Ms. Connors was Hawaii’s chief legal and law enforcement officer, overseeing a department of more than 200 attorneys and approximately 500 professional and support personnel responsible for discharging various constitutional and statutory mandates. She was serving as Hawaii’s Attorney General at the time President Biden nominated her to the United States Attorney position.

Ms. Connors received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Yale College. She is a graduate of Punahou School.