The seven received their degrees at the annual Encaenia ceremony at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, after parading from Brasenose College through the city street.
His impressive career scholarships to Radley and Brasenose College, Oxford, the Bar in 1936, silk (Queen's Counsel) in 1957, High Court judge in 1961 had led him by 1965 to become the first chairman of the Law Commission, which was set up by the Labour government to rationalise and codify the statutory laws of England.