He was appointed the assistant advocate general of Punjab in July 1979. He was enrolled as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 1983 and got promoted as additional advocate general of Punjab in 1988. He became the advocate general of Punjab in 1993.
He took oath as a judge of the Lahore High Court Aug 7, 1994, and was elevated as judge of the Supreme Court July 31, 2004, a position he served till the imposition of the state of Emergency Nov 3, 2007.
As he refused to take fresh oath, he was made dysfunctional as a judge of the Supreme Court. After the restoration of democracy and an elected government in Pakistan, Jillani joined as judge of the Supreme Court in September 2009.
He was named the Chief Justice of Pakistan Dec 12, 2013.
Justice Jillani was awarded the 'Key of the City of Detroit (Michigan)' by the mayor of that American city Oct 12, 2007, and was conferred 'Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters' at a special convocation held in Southern Virginia University, Washington.
In July 2008, he was invited by the American Bar Association to receive the '2008 Rule of Law Award' on behalf of those judges of Pakistan who demonstrated courage in upholding the rule of law in the country.
He is Co-chair of the Hague Conference Mediation Committee in Family International Law.
