Bolch Prize 2025 | A Conversation with Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani
Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, recipient of the 2025 Bolch Prize for the Rule of Law, joined Paul W. Grimm for a conversation about his life and jurisprudence at Duke Law School.
During their conversation, Justice Jillani shared his judicial philosophy, background on his landmark rulings on minority rights and religious freedom, and his refusal to legitimize an unconstitutional regime during Pakistan’s 2007 state of emergency. He also spoke broadly on the ethical foundations of judicial independence and the role of courts in democratic societies. Dean Kerry Abrams of Duke Law School offered introductory remarks (00:03). Justice Jillani’s former law clerk, Annum Haider, was among the attendees, and beginning at 58:22, she spoke about his impact on her and his mastery of interpreting the law.
This conversation was hosted as part of celebrations at Duke University on April 16, 2025, honoring Justice Jillani as the 2025 recipient of the Bolch Prize for the Rule of Law.
For more information about the prize, visit https://judicialstudies.duke.edu/.