SA v Israel at the ICJ (2024)
Member of South Africa's legal team at the International Court of Justice, arguing the evidentiary basis of the case in January 2024.
Evidence leader · Madlanga Commission
Advocate Adila Hassim SC
Evidence leader · Johannesburg
Evidence leader
Adila Hassim SC is a Senior Counsel at Thulamela Chambers and an evidence leader on the Madlanga Commission, widely regarded as one of South Africa's leading public-interest advocates. She holds a BA and LLB from the University of Natal, an LLM from Saint Louis University (1999) on a Franklin Thomas Fellowship, and a doctorate in the science of law (JSD) from the University of Notre Dame (2006).
A former Constitutional Court law clerk, she helped build the country's health-rights jurisprudence through the AIDS Law Project and the Treatment Action Campaign, co-founded SECTION27 - where she was Director of Litigation - and co-founded Corruption Watch. Admitted to the Johannesburg Bar in 2003, she led the Limpopo textbooks litigation, the silicosis class action against the mining houses, and the Life Esidimeni arbitration into the deaths of psychiatric patients.
In January 2024 she was part of South Africa's legal team at the International Court of Justice in South Africa v Israel, setting out the evidentiary basis for the alleged acts before the world court.
This profile summarises publicly reported biographical and role information about a member of the Madlanga Commission. It is not a finding of the Commission, nor an allegation against any person. Soft or contested claims are attributed; unverified details are omitted.
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Background
Education & admission
- BA & LLB, University of Natal
- LLM, Saint Louis University (1999) - Franklin Thomas Fellowship
- JSD (doctorate in law), University of Notre Dame (2006)
On the record
Notable matters & judgments
Life Esidimeni arbitration
Lead counsel in the arbitration into the deaths of psychiatric patients moved to ill-equipped NGOs in Gauteng.
Co-founder, SECTION27 and Corruption Watch
Director of Litigation at SECTION27 and a co-founder of Corruption Watch; led the Limpopo textbooks case and the silicosis class action.
Sources