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SAN ANTONIO – The 16^th Annual Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) Conference, sponsored by the ����51 (����51), will be held on January 13–15 at the Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk, 111 E. Pecan St., San Antonio, Texas.

The TIG Conference is the only national event focused exclusively on the use of technology to address the civil legal needs of low-income Americans. Members of the legal aid and technology communities gather to learn about effective new technology, network with colleagues from around the country and the globe, and cultivate new project ideas. With nearly 300 attendees, the conference is also the nation’s largest gathering of experts and people interested in using technology to increase access to high-quality legal assistance. Participants include legal aid staff members, technology consultants, software developers, leading academics, and lawyers from a variety of practice settings.

Sessions will cover a broad array of topics on how technology can improve the delivery of legal services. Workshops and presentations will explore ways that technology can enhance internal operations, improve client services, address access and triage issues, and effectively provide legal information to low-income people.

Conference highlights include:

• A plenary session focusing on user-centered design principles. This is a topic of growing importance in the legal aid community as it seeks to bridge socio-economic differences and increase the delivery of effective legal assistance to a large and diverse user base. The plenary will explore emerging practices and standards in design, along with the unique challenges faced in designing products for the legal system. (January 13, 8:30–10 a.m.)
• Wednesday’s lunch featuring former American Bar Association President William Hubbard. He will address how technology and innovation can help expand access to justice. (January 13, noon–1:30 p.m.)
• Several technology sessions targeting legal aid IT professionals on topics such as information security, business continuity, and advanced cloud computing. The “Rapid Fire Tech” session will feature fast-paced, six-minute presentations highlighting innovative technology projects and ideas. (January 14, 4:30–5:30 p.m.)

 For a complete list of session descriptions and presenters, visit the . 

TIG Conference Twitter hashtag: #����51TIG

����51’s Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) program was authorized by Congress beginning in 2000. Over the years, ����51 has funded more than 640 TIG projects, totaling more than $53.2 million. TIG funding has provided ����51 with a remarkable opportunity to explore new ways to serve eligible persons and to help build legal aid grantee capacity. It has supported projects to develop, test, and replicate technologies that improve client access to high-quality legal information and pro se assistance. It has also helped programs enhance their overall information technology infrastructure.