Adila Hassim SC (born 1972) is a South African advocate. She rose to international prominence as a member of the legal team in the South Africa vs. Israel case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024.
Adila Hassim | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 (age 51–52) |
| Alma mater | |
Early life and education
editHassim was born in 1972.[1] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Natal. She was awarded the Franklin Thomas Fellowship to pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) at the Saint Louis University School of Law of Saint Louis, Missouri, graduating in 1999, and the Rev Lewers–Bradlow Foundation Fellowship to become a Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) at Notre Dame Law School of Notre Dame, Indiana, which she completed in 2006.[2][3][4]
Career
editHassim was a Constitutional Court law clerk to Pius Langa and Edwin Cameron,[3] participating in the 1997 Soobramoney v Minister of Health case. Hassim was admitted to the Johannesburg Society of Advocates, South Africa's largest Bar, in 2003.[5] In the 2000s, Hassim worked for the AIDS Law Project. In 2007, she sat on a Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) committee alongside the likes of Andrew Feinstein and Cheryl Gillwald to support Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge in the wake of her dismissal as Deputy Minister of Health.[6] Hassim co-edited Health & Democracy: A Guide to Human Rights and Health Law and Policy in Post-apartheid South Africa (2007) and The National Health Act: A Guide (2008).[7] She also wrote a number of articles for the Mail & Guardian.[8]
In 2010, Hassim helped to found the public-interest organisation Section27, where she would serve as Director of Litigation. She is also a founding member of Corruption Watch.[9] Hassim is currently Senior Counsel at Thulamela Chambers.[5]
Notable cases
editHassim worked on the Limpopo Textbooks Case, which went to the Supreme Court in 2015.[10] She represented Sonke Gender Justice and the Treatment Action Campaign in the 2015 Silicosis class action lawsuit against 32 mining companies in court.[11] In 2017, Hassim became Lead Counsel in the Life Esidimeni Arbitration, representing Section27 and the mental healthcare patients who died in the scandal.[12][13][14]
In January 2024, Hassim appeared in The Hague as a member of the legal team representing South Africa's proceedings accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).[15][16]
Bibliography
edit- Health & Democracy: A Guide to Human Rights and Health Law and Policy in Post-Apartheid South Africa (2007), editor
- The National Health Act: A Guide (2008), editor
- South African Constitutional Law (2023)
References
edit- ^ "Qui est l'avocate sud-africaine Adila Hassim ?". Business News (in French). 15 January 2024.
- ^ "2019 David Sanders Lecture – Advocate Adila Hassim". University of the Western Cape School of Public Health. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Wits awards Gold Medal to SECTION27". University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "NDLS Welcomes New and Returning L.L.M. and J.S.D. Students". Notre Dame Lawyer - Fall/Winter 2000. 1 October 2000. p. 42. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Adila Hassim SC". Thulamela Chambers. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "TAC starts support fund for Madlala-Routledge". Mail & Guardian. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Adila Hassim books and biography". Waterstones. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Adila Hassim". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Targeting the corrupt 'untouchables'". Corruption Watch. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Court hears Limpopo textbook case". IOL. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "TAC and Sonke want to join mineworkers' class action". Sowetan Live. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ Kruger, Nicklaus (15 July 2019). ""Instructions From Above": Advocate Adila Hassim On The Ethical and Systemic Ramifications Of The Life Esidimeni Disaster". University of the Western Cape. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ Chabalala, Jeanette. "Advocate Adila Hassim weighs in on Life Esidimeni, the rule of law and GBV". News24. Retrieved 11 January 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ Pikoli, Zukiswa (19 July 2021). "Life Esidimeni inquest: Advocate Adila Hassim delivers moving opening statement". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Who is Adila Hassim, the lawyer fighting 'genocide' case against Israel at ICJ?". Muslim Mirror. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ Kgosana, Rorisang (5 January 2024). "The 'A-team' lawyers representing South Africa at the world court against Israel". Times Live. Retrieved 11 January 2024.