William Shaw Richardson (December 22, 1919 – June 21, 2010) was an American attorney, political figure, and chief justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court from 1966 to 1982.

His grandfather Colonel John Keone Likikine Richardson was a leading supporter of Queen Liliuokalani and the opposition to the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Richardson served in World War II with the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment as a platoon leader with a rank of Captain in the U.S.

[6] Richardson's tenure as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii was marked by landmark decisions that recognized the precedent of the state's unique cultural and legal history; specifically the public's interests in the environment, and the rights of the indigenous Hawaiian people.

Under Richardson, the court held that the public's interest in the natural environment may limit or prohibit commercial development of sensitive areas, particularly coastlines and beaches; that the public has the right to access Hawaii's beaches, and that land created by lava flows belonged to the state, not to nearby property owners.