Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court will join jurists from five states at a panel discussion in Austin hosted by the national Legal Services Corporation (LSC) on Jan. 24 at the Supreme Court of Texas Courtroom, 201 West 14th Street in Austin.

The event is being held in conjunction with the LSC Board's quarterly meeting and will address LSC Board members and an audience of more than 100 attorneys, judges, and other access-to-justice leaders. It will begin with remarks by Chief Justice Hecht, Texas Law School Dean Ward Farnsworth, and LSC Board Chairman John G. Levi.

Joining Chief Justice Hecht in a panel discussion of "The Importance of Access to Justice to the Judiciary" will be:

• Judge Robin Green, Arkansas Nineteenth West Judicial Circuit
• Judge Priscilla Owen, United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
• Justice John Pelander, Arizona Supreme Court
• Judge Jay C. Zainey, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
• Justice Laurie D. Zelon, California Court of Appeal, Second District

Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow, vice chair of the LSC Board, will moderate the panel, which will take place from 9:15--10:30 a.m.

The event will also feature a discussion among executive directors and lawyers from LSC grantees and others in the legal aid community on how technological innovations can facilitate access to justice.

Panelists include:

• Elliott Fontenette, Staff Attorney, Texas Legal Services Center
• Sonia Lopez, Managing Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
• Vince Morris, Director, Arkansas Legal Services Partnership, Arkansas Pro Bono Partnership
• Alison Paul, Executive Director, Montana Legal Services Association
• Glenn Rawdon, Program Counsel, Legal Services Corporation
• Diana C. White, Executive Director, LAF (Legal Aid Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago)

LSC President James J. Sandman will moderate the panel, which will take place from 10:45 a.m.--noon.

Former White House Counsel and Locke Lord partner Harriet Miers will speak at a luncheon following the panels. 

The LSC Board and its committees will meet January 23-25 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 500 N. Interstate 35, in Austin. Details regarding the board and committee meetings may be found in a notice published on the LSC website. Members of the public who are unable to attend may listen to open sessions of the board and its committees by telephone, using the instructions in the notice.