BRITAIN’S second most senior judge received an honorary doctorate in his home city yesterday, at the University of Liverpool.
As the senior presiding judge for England and Wales, His Honour Lord Justice Brian Leveson occupies the second-highest judicial post in the country after the Lord Chief Justice.
Liverpool-born Lord Leveson received the accolade alongside the first woman president of the Liverpool Law Society, Judge Elizabeth Steel.
The pair are among a host of distinguished figures attending the university’s graduation ceremonies this week, including Liverpool-born Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy, and world-renowned Muslim leader Professor Akbar Ahmed, who will both receive honours today.
Born in Liverpool and a former lecturer at the University of Liverpool’s law school, Lord Leveson has acted as prosecutor in some of the country’s most high-profile cases including the trial of Rosemary West and prosecutions arising from the Strangeways prison riots.
He said: “It is a very great honour to be given this degree at the university where both my parents, brother and sister studied.
“I was the only member of my family not to study here, I went to Oxford, but now I have an honorary degree.
“I am from the city and grew up in south Liverpool. I practised as a barrister here from 1970-93, when I moved to London.�
Northern division circuit Judge Elizabeth Steel received a Doctorate of Laws from the university, where she studied law before becoming a solicitor in the city.
Renowned nationally for her work on equal opportunities and race relations legislation, she was also at the forefront of legal debates following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
She said: “I am absolutely honoured, delighted and still slightly surprised.
“I studied law here and worked as a solicitor until 1991, when I became a circuit judge.
“I still sit here and live in the city and most of my family have studied at the university too.�
Among the others who have received honorary degrees at the university this week were the former High Sherriff of Merseyside Michael Potts, leading racehorse trainer Martin Pipe, and the Liverpool pioneer of charitable giving, Fred Freeman, who created the Give As You Earn Consortium.