Lord Thomas was the lord chief justice of England and Wales between 2013 and 2017. He called to the bar in 1969 (Gray’s Inn) and was elected a bencher in 1992. He took silk in 1984 and was appointed a recorder in 1987. In 1996 he became a High Court judge before succeeding Lord Judge as lord chief justice in 2013.

This year’s honorary graduates will join thousands of students in the graduation celebrations, taking place at the Caird Hall in Dundee from Tuesday 18 June to Friday 21 June.

Others receiving the honorary doctor of laws degree are:

• Professor Sharon Peacock, professor of microbiology and public health at the University of Cambridge, and executive director and chair of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK)
• Professor Jim Skea, chair of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
• Dr Sabir Zazai, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council
• Dr Arun Verma, inclusion, intersectionality & impact leader
• Professor Andrew Morris, director of health data research UK, former dean of medicine at the University of Dundee

Professor Iain Gillespie, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee, said: “In choosing our honorary graduates we are mindful of inspiration, excellence and social purpose, of those who match the values of the University and who share our ambition to transform lives.

“The six people we are honouring at graduation this month have made a great contribution in their respective fields and stand as role models to our graduates, students, staff and wider community.”