Image by Stan Godlewski via David Holahan, originally in New Haven Living
The American Philosophical Society is pleased to announce that the Honorable Guido Calabresi is the recipient of the 2025 Henry M. Phillips Prize.
The Henry M. Phillips Prize was first established in 1888, initially to recognize the best essay on the science and philosophy of jurisprudence. It later evolved to recognize the most important publication in the field within a five-year period before transitioning to the current award, which celebrates outstanding lifetime contributions to the field of jurisprudence and the important publications that illustrate those accomplishments.
The 2025 Phillips Prize committee was chaired by Linda Greenhouse and included Jane C. Ginsburg, Martha Minow, Robert C. Post, Geoffrey R. Stone, and Goodwin Liu. In their selection statement, the committee emphasized Judge Calabresi’s singular combination of rigorous scholarship, influential jurisprudence, and long-standing commitment to legal education. They wrote in part: "Judge Calabresi, who has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit since 1994, is a foundational scholar in the field of law and economics…The committee selected him in recognition of work that has reshaped how scholars and courts consider questions of liability, policy, and the role of law in democratic societies."
Elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1997, Judge Calabresi’s career spans scholarship, teaching, and judicial service. His books, including The Costs of Accidents, Tragic Choices, and A Common Law for the Age of Statutes, along with dozens of articles, have been broadly influential, as was his 65-year teaching career at Yale Law School. He served as the law school's dean for nine years and is currently Sterling Professor emeritus. As an academic, Judge Calabresi’s interdisciplinary approach has bridged law, economics, and moral philosophy; as an educator, he influenced generations of lawyers and scholars; and as a judge, he brought his scholarly perspective to the federal bench.
Judge Calabresi will receive the Henry M. Phillips Prize during the Society’s April Meeting on April 24, 2026.