The Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law School awarded the 2025 Carl and Susan Bolch Prize for the Rule of Law to Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani in a ceremony recognizing his lifelong dedication to justice, human rights, and judicial independence. Click here to watch a recording of the 2025 Bolch Prize ceremony.
Justice Jillani, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, was honored during a ceremony at Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art for his courageous defense of the judiciary during Pakistan’s constitutional crisis under President Pervez Musharraf, and for his landmark rulings that advanced religious freedom, gender equality, and human dignity. His principled refusal to swear loyalty to an unconstitutional regime and his jurisprudence have inspired the legal profession worldwide.
“Justice Jillani has shown extraordinary courage and moral clarity,” said Judge Paul W. Grimm, Director of the Bolch Judicial Institute. “He stood for the rule of law even when doing so came at personal and professional cost.”
The event opened with remarks by Dr. Joshua Salaam, director and chaplain at Duke University’s Center for Muslim Life, who underscored the connection between justice and peace. Distinguished speakers at the ceremony included Dean Kerry Abrams of Duke Law School; Taiyyaba Qureshi, founding president of the North Carolina Muslim Bar Association; Justice Adèle Kent of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta (ret.); Bill Neukom, co-founder and CEO of the World Justice Project; and Susan Bass Bolch, founder of the Institute. Each reflected on Justice Jillani’s significant contributions to global legal systems and civil society.
In his keynote, Justice Jillani reminded attendees of the shared global responsibility to uphold justice and tolerance. “No grievance justifies the killing of innocent people,” he said. “All faiths ordain that we should treat one another as we wish to be treated.”
The Bolch Prize, established by Carl and Susan Bolch, celebrates those who work to protect and advance the rule of law. Past recipients include U.S. Supreme Court justices and state, federal, and international judges and organizations dedicated to furthering and defending the rule of law in the United States and around the world.
Additional coverage of the Bolch Prize 2025 event will be posted on our website. Click here to subscribe to email updates from the Institute, and be notified when these are available.