I have just heard that the LSC Technology and Access to Justice Summit is going forward.  LSC has contracted with John Greacen to manage it.  I understand that the hope is to be able to have the Summit in April of 2012.

I understand that the Summit will be following the ideas expressed in the RFP, which says in part (referencing the 1998 Summit):

LSC believes it is time to hold a Second Summit to take stock of the current use of technology and assess its effectiveness in the delivery of legal services to the poor, to plan for the next wave of innovations and advances that technology can bring to access to justice, and to reach out to a broader group of partners. LSC envisions assembling two groups to aid in organizing this event: a small committee to serve as the main planning group and a larger group to serve as informal, substantive advisers. These groups would draw from legal services organizations, the judiciary, access to justice commissions, libraries (law and public), federal agencies, social services agencies, law schools, foundations, other non-profits, private attorneys, and private enterprise and would include the expertise necessary to improve access to justice through technology.

I believe that this is a huge opportunity to re-launch access and technology in a new way, and hope to be able to keep readers of this blog up to date with the planning.

John is a long time leader with both technology and access to justice, has very great credibility in the court community, and has also worked significantly in the past with the legal aid community.

This is an exciting development with the potential to have as much impact as the first Summit, which led to the whole TIG program — and more.