Attorney Clinton Ashford dead at 76
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
Clinton R. Ashford, prominent Hawai'i attorney and founding partner of the law firm Ashford & Wriston, died Wednesday. He was 76.
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Widely recognized as one of the top real estate lawyers in the state, Ashford represented landowners in arguing against Hawai'i's milestone Land Reform Act and was a critic of what he called the "judicial activism" of the Hawai'i Supreme Court.
Clinton Ashford was regarded as a great teacher.
Ashford was born in Honolulu. He attended Roosevelt High School and Punahou School and received his law degree at the University of Michigan in 1950.
In 1955, he and two other attorneys formed the Ashford & Wriston law firm. The firm now has 30 lawyers.
Rosemary Fazio joined the firm in 1978 as a young, inexperienced lawyer. She said Ashford was her mentor and was a great teacher.
"A young woman lawyer, especially at that time, couldn't ask for anything better," Fazio said. "Ashford really and truly believed that there's no reason why a woman shouldn't be a lawyer....
"He always said that without your integrity you have nothing. He used to say the practice of law was more than just making a buck."
Ashford was president of the Hawai'i Bar Association in 1972.
The Kane'ohe resident also served on the boards of Aloha United Way, the Robert F. Lange Foundation and the J. Watumull Fund.
Ashford & Wriston managing partner Cuyler Shaw said Ashford remained active in the firm's affairs until his illness. Shaw described him as a disciplinarian who demanded a lot from young lawyers.
"There are a lot of bright lawyers around, but the thing that made him unique was his taking a personal interest in each attorney coming up through the firm and seeing that the attorney was property trained...You don't get that today, the personal attention and interest," Shaw said.
Ashford is survived by his wife, Beverly; daughter, Marguerite Ashford-Hirano; sons, Frank, Bruce and James; brother, James; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. at the Punahou Chapel. Contributions may be made to the University of Hawai'i Foundation-Ashford Memorial Fund or any charity.
