Kalmo and Vooglaid to advise President-elect Ülle Madise

Hent Kalmo and Ida Ulita Vooglaid will serve as legal advisers to President-elect Ülle Madise, both on a part-time basis, ERR reports.

Kalmo, a public law expert and current legal adviser to President Alar Karis, will continue in the role during Madise’s term. Vooglaid is a lawyer studying theology and philosophy.

Madise said the president’s role includes balancing the constitutional system and requires a legal partner with a deep understanding of the constitution and major issues facing the country. She cited Kalmo’s experience as a public law expert and his work for the Chancellor of Justice and the president.

Kalmo said the position would let him bring an academic perspective on public law to the president’s office while learning from government practice and connecting it with his university research.

Madise said Vooglaid’s commitment to her work and concern for the constitution made her a valuable addition to the team. Vooglaid said she was honoured to join Madise’s team and would work to uphold the principles of freedom, justice and law set out in the constitution.

Kalmo has degrees in law from the University of Tartu and has studied at Harvard University and the University of Paris X-Nanterre, where he earned a master’s degree. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Tartu, where he has worked in public law since 2011. He has also worked in the Office of the Chancellor of Justice and has been a legal adviser to Karis since 2022.

Vooglaid has completed a bachelor’s degree in law at the University of Tartu and plans to continue with a master’s degree there in 2027.