13 April 2026, New York | The Human Rights Institute at Columbia Law School is proud to celebrate Tejal Jesrani, Director of the TrialWatch Project, Acting Director of the Human Rights Institute, and Human Rights Clinic Instructor, on receiving the 2026 Constance Baker Motley Award, presented by Columbia Law School Empowering Women of Color.

The award is presented annually in honor of Constance Baker Motley, one of Columbia Law School’s most distinguished alumni and one of the most important legal pioneers in American history. Motley's legacy lives on in the legal profession, continuing to inspire generations of lawyers who are called to use the law in service of the public and the pursuit of social justice. She was a civil rights lawyer, a public servant, and the first Black woman to be appointed to the federal bench.

Tejal was recognized at this year’s gala alongside Private Sector Award Honoree Lorraine McGowen ’86, Partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, and Public Sector Award Honoree Arielle Reid ’15, Director of The Decarceration Project at The Legal Aid Society.

In her speech, Tejal emphasized “that the world may sometimes throw you off track, leaving you confused and directionless, but your values are your true north. And they will always lead you back to who you are and who you’ll become.” She highlighted the values that she has found helpful in her career so far, such as not accepting the “fast no.” She noted that “sometimes the first answer you receive is not a reflection of your ability—it’s a reflection of someone else’s assumptions. And if you accept that fast no, you risk accepting a version of your life that is smaller than what’s possible.”

At Columbia Law School, Tejal leads the TrialWatch Project at the Human Rights Institute’s, an initiative dedicated to monitoring criminal trials and challenging the misuse of legal systems to silence journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents, and others targeted for the exercise of their fundamental rights. Through trial monitoring, fairness reporting, litigation support, and international advocacy, her work has helped expose judicial harassment and strengthen fair trial protections across jurisdictions.

She has also played a central role in expanding TrialWatch’s global clinical network and institutional partnerships, helping to build a collaborative model that connects legal education with frontline human rights practice. Under her leadership, students, practitioners, and civil society partners have engaged directly in documenting trial rights violations and responding to the growing use of courts and criminal law as tools of repression.

Before joining Columbia, Tejal worked for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for 16 years, where she developed extensive expertise in criminal justice, trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling, transnational crime, and international legal frameworks.

Empowering Women of Color (EWOC) exists to champion diverse women at Columbia Law School in light of the unique challenges they face in the legal profession. In her remarks, she noted that “organizations like EWOC matter so deeply because every space we enter, every barrier we push against, every moment where we choose not to shrink, we are widening the path.”

Tejal’s selection for this award is a powerful recognition of her leadership and of her sustained commitment to using the law in service of justice, accountability, and fundamental rights.We congratulate Tejal on this well-deserved honor.

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The Human Rights Institute (HRI) advances international human rights through education, advocacy, fact-finding, research, scholarship, and critical reflection. HRI partners with advocates, communities, and organizations pushing for social change to strengthen human rights frameworks, promote accountability for rights violations, and build collective power