Baroness Hale: First woman president of Supreme Court awarded honorary doctorate

The first female president of the UK Supreme Court has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Bar-Ilan university in Israel.

Baroness Hale of Richmond, who served as the President of the court from 2017 to 2020, was conferred a honorary doctorate in Philosophy.

The award was conferred because of her “outstanding efforts on behalf of women and minorities, and to secure elevated rights for all citizens, as well as her dedication to the protection of democracy and basic human rights.”

Due to the pandemic, a small ceremony in London took place earlier this week to bestow the honour on the former most senior woman judge in the country.

Baroness Hale, who revealed she had visited Israel six times, said: “I am bowled over by the honour which Bar-Ilan has bestowed upon me – it was a big surprise but that makes it an even bigger honour”.

The Baroness also recently delivered a keynote address on Legal Dilemmas in Religious Feminism, at a conference hosted by Bar-Ilan University’s Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women.

Bar-Ilan UK’s Executive Director, Shlomo Rechtschaffen congratulated the Baroness on receiving the honour. “Baroness Hale is a true role model to us all,” he said. 

“She has devoted her life to the justice system and fighting for equality. The honour is well deserved”.