Harriet Miers – one of the most high-profile female lawyers in the US – has resigned from her position as White House legal counsel, it was announced yesterday (4 January).

Her resignation is effective from 31 January and leaves the administration searching for a successor.

Miers was the first female president of both the Texas State Bar and the Dallas Bar Association. She followed George W Bush to the White House from Texas in January 2001 and has served as one of the president's closest aides for the past six years.

In 2005 she withdrew her controversial, Bush-supported nomination for the US Supreme Court after opposition from conservative groups.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said: "Harriet has decided that it is time to move on. We do not have a successor. The search is, obviously, on."

Snow said Miers had discussed her resignation with White House chief of staff Josh Bolten prior to making an announcement and denied that her resignation would be followed by other personnel moves.