The Supreme Court's Professional Themis Awards this year were received by Reinis Odiņš, a legal research counsel to the Department of Civil Cases, the Creative Themis Award was presented to Iveta Jaudzema, a communication specialist (translator) in the Division of Communication, and Evija Veide, an assistant to the Chair of the Department of Civil Cases, received the Special Themis Award.

The Professional Themis Award was given to Reinis Odiņš for his professional scientific and analytical work. He is a reliable support and advisor to senators and assistants to senators of the Department. He helps prepare cases for examination in assignment sittings and draft decisions, especially regarding cases examined by an extended panel of senators. In addition, he has helped prepare draft decisions for the meetings of chairs of Senate’s departments and responses to questions received from judges of lower courts during the meetings of the Department and judges of district courts and regional courts.

Reinis has extensive theoretical knowledge and practical work experience, he is gifted with high capacity for work, and he is motivated by new challenges and tasks. In addition to his work in the Senate, he is studying for a doctorate at the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia, holds seminars at the Judicial Academy on methodology for civil case adjudication, teaches a course on property rights for the Erasmus exchange program students at the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia, and gives presentations at conferences.

The Creative Themis Award is a recognition of Iveta's artistic work – a drawing of the Palace of Justice, which is featured in the Supreme Court’s calendar, as well as for participation in a special project to which Iveta made a significant and creative contribution. It was a unique exhibition of judicial robes of European Supreme Courts, which the Supreme Court organized within Museum Night. In this regard, she successfully organized communication with the courts, and translated all the necessary informative descriptions for the exhibition and the catalogue of the robes, which was published after the exhibition.

The Special Themis Award was given to Evija Veide for organizing a team-building event for senators of the Department of Civil Cases. Her special skills include planning, organization, logistics, empathy, hard work and time management which ensured the success of the event. Evija also organized a team-building event for all court employees. Moreover, in her daily work, she is the creative heart and inexhaustible source of energy for the team of the Department of Civil Cases.

The Supreme Court's travelling Themis Awards have been presented to senators and employees for 21 years now. There are three categories of awards used to express gratitude to senators and employees for their professionalism, creativity, and special achievements each year. Any senator or employee can nominate candidates for the Themis Awards, and the nominations are evaluated by the special jury. The jury's opinion is decisive in awarding the Professional and Creative Themis Awards. However, the Special Themis Award undergoes a second round of voting, the results of which are determined by a collective vote.

The winners receive the travelling Themis Awards. The award itself has been created by sculptor Edvīns Krūmiņš and depicts the symbol of the Palace of Justice – Kārlis Zemdega's sculpture "Justice".

 

Information prepared by

Rasma Zvejniece, Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: +371 67020396, +371 28652211