Kairi Piirisild
Court lawyer (judicial clerk)
Tallinn Court of Appeal
Scholarship: Online Summer Course on the Rule of Law in the European Union (420SB11)
22 – 26 June 2020
“I have found that expanding ones’ knowledge and experiences on different national and international levels makes you understand the ideas and principles behind specific legal norms and regulations. Having broader understanding of these mechanisms makes one a better judge.” 14/08/2020 |  |
- Q & A with Kairi Piirisild
What is your legal background, your current occupation and country of work?
I currently work as a judicial clerk at the Tallinn Court of Appeal in Estonia, but in August I will start my career as a civil judge. So far, my main task was to prepare case-files and draft judgements.
How do you use European law in your current work?
Applying European law is part of my everyday work, especially necessary for the purposes of drafting in the current cases.
What was your motivation for attending this particular event?
I applied for the scholarship to obtain a clearer and deeper insight of the European law.
How did you benefit from the scholarship?
The training was intense and informative, providing an opportunity to improve my knowledge not only on the particular topic of the Rule of Law but also on the working mechanisms of the European Institutions. I therefore have now a better understanding of the fundamental principles on which our legal system is operating.
I have found that expanding one’s knowledge and experience on different national and international levels is vital in order to understand the ideas and principles behind specific legal norms and regulations. Having a broader understanding of these mechanisms makes someone a better judge.
A better understanding of the international law made me realise that it is the outcome of a particular case which is important, not if or how it is connected to a treaty or a convention.
I am therefore very thankful for the opportunity to participate in a professional training on European law. Even though I have worked with European law as a lawyer and a court official, this has been random and dependent on a case by base need. An intensive high-quality training by professionals gives certainly a clearer and deeper insight of the European law making one more confident and better oriented in particular issues. I hope to work as a judge one day, so that I can truly benefit from this training.
I also believe that learning the European law not at home from fellow lawyers, but in an international environment, gives a better insight into the international aspect of the European law. By being‘closer to the source’, it helps build solidarity and mutual understanding.
