Maura McGowan QC has been elected as the Bar Council's next chairman, with the criminal silk set to succeed current chair Michael Todd QC of Erskine Chambers at the end of the year.

McGowan, who is currently vice chairman, was elected in an uncontested vote. She will take up the new role on 1 January next year.

McGowan (pictured) is a barrister at both 2 Bedford Row in London and Lincoln House Chambers in Manchester, with her experience principally covering murder, drugs, violent and sexual assault and child abuse. She was called to the Bar in 1980 and took silk in 2001.

Meanwhile, Serle Court's Nicholas Lavender QC has been elected to the post of Bar Council vice chairman for 2013, with current treasurer and General Healthcare Group chief executive Stephen Collier continuing in his role next year.

The news comes as Supreme Court judge Lord Phillips has announced plans to take up two international judicial roles following his retirement from the UK's top court in autumn this year.

Lord Phillips will replace Lord Woolf of Barnes as president of the Qatar International Court & Dispute Resolution Centre from September, while he has also been recommended for the role of non-permanent judge in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

There are currently six non-permanent Hong Kong judges and 13 non-permanent common law judges. The maximum number of non-permanent judges is 30.

Former Herbert Smith partner and UK Supreme Court judge Lord Collins of Mapesbury also announced his next career step this month after retiring from the top court last year, with a move to Essex Court Chambers as a full-time arbitrator.