He will step down on 30 September 2012, marking the end of a career which included being the last Senior Law Lord and leading the transition to the Supreme Court of which he became the first President. The process to appoint his successor will begin in the New Year. Lord Phillips said: “I have greatly enjoyed the challenge of presiding over the new Supreme Court and was tempted to continue right up to my retirement age in January 2013.

“I have decided, however, that it makes more sense to go at the end of the legal year, so that I can make an orderly hand-over to my successor in the course of the summer vacation.” His career began in 1962, when he was Called to the Bar. He became a High Court judge 25 years later, was promoted to the Court of Appeal in 1995 and became a Law Lord in 1999. He was appointed Master of the Rolls in 2000 and Lord Chief Justice in October 2005. He became Senior Law Lord in 2008.

Lord Phillips who will be retiring as President of the Supreme Court