Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury was sworn in as the second president of the Supreme Court this morning, taking his seat as the most senior judge in the UK.

His appointment follows the retirement of Lord Phillips who was the first president of the court opened by the Queen in October 2009, replacing the appellate committee of the House of Lords.

Neuberger (pictured) stepped down as master of the rolls to take on the job. Supreme Court justice Lord Dyson was appointed master of the rolls, the head of the civil judiciary in England and Wales.

At this morning’s ceremony, attended by the justices of the Supreme Court dressed in their black ceremonial brocade robe, Neuberger took the judicial oath and the oath of allegiance. The justices then formed up in the Supreme Court’s entrance hall to process over Broad Sanctuary to Westminster Abbey for the annual service to mark the beginning of the legal year in England and Wales.

Neuberger said: ‘It is a great honour to have been asked to lead the UK Supreme Court, which is rightly respected throughout the world for the quality of its decision making. It has also been forging a reputation for accessibility and transparency, welcoming many visitors and providing public information about the work of the justices and summaries of cases being heard.

‘I welcome the opportunity to work with the other justices of the Supreme Court, to continue developing relationships with colleagues around the UK, to serve all parts of the Kingdom, and to maintain the independence of the judiciary as one of the foundations of a stable, safe and prosperous society based on the rule of law,’ he said.