In the symposium that follows, we present interviews with three of the most important jurists of our time: Aharon Barak (born in 1936), President of the Israel Supreme Court (1995-2006); Sabino Cassese (born in 1935), Justice of the Italian Constitutional Court (2005-2014); and Dieter Grimm (born in 1937), Justice of the German Federal Constitutional Court (1987 to 1999).
As a group, each is a contemporary, and they know each other well, not least, as long-time participants of the Global Constitutional Seminar that takes place annually at the Yale Law School. Readers of the German Law Journal will also know that each has been an influential law professor, and made important contributions to government and public commissions. The Justices have served academia in numerous capacities, as authors of books and articles of enormous importance, administrators of major research institutions, and as mentors of generations of law students and young professors. While the interviews make no attempt to cover all matters of importance, or to produce a set of congruent, “parallel” conversations, certain common themes emerge. These include reflections on changes in legal education and mentorship, the status of European and international law in domestic constitutional law, the significance of the constitution and general principles, and the role of dialogues with external courts. In addition, each has published highly personal books on judging, and on constitutional law and courts.Footnote 1
Finally, today there are many prominent women who have served on national, European, and international courts, and we hope these interviews will spur further conversations on a wide range of careers and experiences.
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