On May 7-9, the American Bar Association (ABA) and the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) hosted the 2008 Equal Justice Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. The annual conference brings together representatives from all corners of the equal justice community-legal aid programs, state and local bar associations, the courts, private law firms, and corporate legal departments-for discussions and trainings on the current issues impacting the delivery of legal services to the poor. This year's conference, "Pursuing Justice: Balancing Challenges and Opportunities," celebrated the ongoing collaboration between pro bono and legal aid, explored the creation of additional partnerships, pinpointed new resources to be tapped, and identified new issues facing clients.

Peter B. Edelman-Georgetown University Law Professor, Chair of the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission, and Board Member of the Friends of Legal Services Corporation-opened the conference with a speech on the challenges confronting equal access to justice in the 21st Century. ABA President William H. Neukom delivered the keynote address at an awards luncheon, where he highlighted the ABA's steadfast support for the Legal Services Corporation and the crucial need to increase LSC's funding. At the luncheon, Iowa Legal Aid Executive Director Dennis Groenenboom accepted the NLADA's Innovations in Equal Justice Award on behalf of his program. The annual award recognizes the successful use of technology to better serve the low-income community. Iowa Legal Aid has long been a leader in the use of technology, pioneering the use of a statewide web-based case management system, launching a project to place internet-connected computers in senior citizen centers, and launching a statewide legal assistance web site in 2003. Congressman Keith M. Ellison, D-Minn., closed the conference.

LSC President Helaine M. Barnett joined Don Saunders of the NLADA and Deborah Hankinson, Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants, to lead a session entitled, "Hot Topics in Legal Aid," which focused on developments at LSC, private attorney involvement initiatives, the status of loan repayment assistance programs in Congress, and other issues. Barnett also delivered remarks at a session entitled, "LSC Updates," where she discussed the recent Government Accountability Office reports on LSC, the 2009 competitive grants process, elements of LSC's Quality Agenda, LSC's development of a technology strategic plan, and LSC's Executive Directors Conference in Washington, D.C., from June 10-11.

Staff from LSC's offices of Program Performance and Compliance and Enforcement presented at a number of sessions on issues such as technology, pro bono, leadership mentoring, innovations in intake, and recruitment and retention.

Barnett and LSC Board Chairman Frank B. Strickland also attended a day-long meeting of the National Chairs of Access to Justice Commissions.