BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Saturday began the process of interviewing law students for the post of law clerks-cum research assistants.

The court in December 2006 invited applications for the post of 20 law clerks-cum-research assistants. Conceived as a project of its now successful golden jubilee celebrations, the High Court had initiated it to encourage talented law graduates to join the legal profession, familiarise them with court procedures and expose them to different kinds of litigation.

With the State Government approving the project, the law clerks-cum-research assistants will be attached to judges to assist them only in the administrative and not judicial work. Only those candidates born on or after January 1, 1977, and who have taken a recognised degree in the law with a maximum of 55 per cent after undergoing a regular course and who have enrolled an advocate with the Karnataka State Bar Council have been selected to appear for the interview.

A committee of judges is selecting the candidates.

The High Court has said that some of the responsibilities that the new appointees will be entrusted with are reading of case files, preparation of the case, notes and chronology of the events; identifying facts and issues and questions that may arise or may have to be addressed; be present in the court during the hearing and take notes of arguments and citations; research work on case law, books and articles for assisting the judge in the preparation of the judgment and finally help the judges prepare speeches and academic papers.

Free access

The law clerks will have free access to the courtroom, the library and to materials, computers and the internet. The assignment for these appointees will be for a year from January to December 2007 and they will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs. 10,000.

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