Valuing the importance of skilled law specialists in the work of courts, the Supreme Court invited law students from the University of Latvia to an Open Day on September 19, bringing together around 60 future specialists. The aim of the Open Day was to introduce the visitors with two positions at the Supreme Court – a legal research counsel and a judge’s assistant.

The event was structured as a conversation, moderated by Janis Pleps, a senator of the Department of Administrative Cases, who conversed with Jānis Geks, a legal research counsel, and Ilze Štamere, an assistant to senator. During the conversation, they revealed their career paths, which were different for each of them. Ilze started her legal career as judge’s assistant at the District Administrative Court, and only recently applied for a vacancy and started working at the Supreme Court. Jānis Geks, on the other hand, worked for several years in both the non-governmental and private sectors, as well as in public administration, but then decided to challenge himself to look at his experience from another perspective and applied for a job at the Supreme Court. Now, after eight years at the Supreme Court, both as a judge’s assistant and as a legal research counsel, he is content with his choice, as he sees that his work contributes to strengthening the rule of law.

The speakers highlighted accuracy, high analytical skills, excellent writing skills, the ability to plan their work, to work with complex and large volumes of information, to draw sound conclusions, to compromise and to accept criticism as the most important skills and abilities needed to work in court.

The personal experience of Supreme Court’s personnel, advice, recommendations, information on and requirements of job competitions were indicated by the students as the most valuable takeaways of the Open Day.

Participants also watched two new videos about legal research counsels and judge’s assistants and their duties in the Supreme Court. The videos are available on the Supreme Court's YouTube channel.

In the concluding part of the event, the students visited the Supreme Court Museum, as well as historic premises of the Palace of Justice and its courtrooms.

This was the first Open Day organized by the Supreme Court this academic year for students of the University of Latvia. In October, such Open Days are also planned for law students of Rēzekne Academy of Technologies and Turība University.

 

Baiba Kataja, Communication Specialist of the Supreme Court

+371 67020365; e-mail: baiba.kataja@at.gov.lv