ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The Division held its 25th National Law-Related Education (LRE) Leadership Conference, September 6-8, 2007, at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans Louisiana. The conference theme, "Youth, Education & Law: Current Issues, New Directions," directed participants’ focus to the intersection of LRE, civic engagement, and public policy as they relate to empowering, protecting and preparing young people for effective citizenship in our democratic society.

During the conference, the Isidore Starr Award for Excellence in Law-Related Education was presented to Jan L. Miller, who is the Director of Law-Related Education at the State Bar of Texas. Ms. Miller also serves as Executive Director of Law Focused Education, Inc., a non-profit organization overseeing grant applications for teacher training and development of materials. Other highlights included a special tribute to Todd Clark, who announced plans to retire from his role as Executive Director of the Constitutional Rights Foundation, as well as a surprise performance by all 85 members of the nationally known McDonough #35 High School Marching Band.

On the last day of the conference, participants spent the day focusing on the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. In the morning, a moderated panel discussion considered issues related to “Youth, Education & Law—Post-Katrina.” During the afternoon, more than 50 participants volunteered for a community service-learning project involving clean-up and gardening in New Orleans’ Lakeview neighborhood, which was organized by the Beacon of Hope Resource Center. Afterwards, they took a guided bus tour of the devastation that remains across the city two years after Katrina, including the city’s now famed lower 9th Ward.

ABOUT OUR COOPERATING PARTNERS
The National LRE Leadership Conference is produced by the American Bar Association Division for Public Education, with funding support from the Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention. Planning support is provided by the Louisiana Center for Law and Civic Education and the Youth for Justice national LRE consortium.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Conference resources