On February 8, LSC President Helaine M. Barnett spoke at a meeting of the California Project Directors Association, a group that includes leaders from all eleven LSC-funded legal services programs in the state. Barnett welcomed two new members of the group, Devon Lomayesva of California Indian Legal Services, and Mario Salgado of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. Karen J. Sarjeant, LSC Vice President for Programs and Compliance, also attended the meeting.

Barnett recognized the California programs for working quickly and cooperatively to deliver services to those affected by the wildfires that raged through the state last October. She also acknowledged the successful efforts of the California programs to help low-income Californians apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit. She updated the attendees on recent developments at LSC, including LSC's FY 2008 appropriation and FY 2009 budget request, reports from the Government Accountability Office, and LSC's Quality Agenda, including the revised Performance Criteria and Case Service Reporting system, LSC's action plan to increase private attorney involvement, and LSC's effort to develop a strategic technology plan.

On February 9, Barnett also gave an update on LSC initiatives to the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants at the American Bar Association's Mid-Year meeting in Los Angeles, Calif. LSC Board Chairman Frank B. Strickland also delivered remarks. LSC Board Member Herbert S. Garten attended the meeting as a special counsel to the committee.

On February 11, Barnett attended a meeting of the American Bar Association's House of Delegates, the ABA's policy making body, of which she is a member. Mary Schneider, Executive Director of the Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation, and Robert Racunas, Executive Director of Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Legal Services Association, are also members.