Mayor, county officials swear-in the county’s new attorney

Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami appointed Tyler Saito as the new county of Kauaʻi attorney, effective yesterday.

Saito was confirmed by the Kauaʻi County Council earlier this month and will succeed Matthew Bracken, who is leaving county service after more than a decade to join the Kauaʻi law firm McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon.

“Tyler has consistently demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and a deep understanding of the law,” Kawakami said. “His experience across both litigation and advisory work makes him exceptionally well-suited to lead the Office of the County Attorney into its next chapter.”

Saito has served the county of Kauaʻi for several years, most recently as first deputy county attorney. In that role, he advised the Department of Water, Board of Water, Police Commission, and various other county departments.

He previously worked as a deputy county attorney and a deputy prosecuting attorney in the Kauaʻi Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. Before his time with the county, Saito clerked for Judge Rowena A. Somerville at the First Circuit Court in Honolulu.

He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he was a Ulu Lehua Scholar and served as senior editor of the Pacific Law & Policy Journal. He also graduated from Seattle University and is a proud alumnus of Parker School in Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be the next county attorney,” Saito said. “I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Kauaʻi in this role by providing sound advice and counsel to the county and its many dedicated public servants, who work diligently for the Kauaʻi community each day.”

The county also extended its gratitude to Matthew Bracken, who served as county attorney for the past seven years and contributed more than 10 years of total service to the county. Bracken played a key role in defending the county in court, reviewing legislation, and advising county departments and elected officials.

“Matt’s leadership and steady guidance have helped navigate some of the most complex legal matters facing the county,” Kawakami said. “We thank him for his years of dedicated service and wish him continued success in his new endeavor.”