Lord Neuberger has been sworn in as the new president of the Supreme Court, becoming only the second head of the refashioned incarnation of the UK's top court.

Neuberger has replaced Lord Phillips, the senior Law Lord who became the first president of the Supreme Court when the body was created in October 2009 in place of the House of Lords' appellate committee.

Phillips retired from the Court at the end of September, with the then Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger in July being confirmed as his replacement. Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson was in August named as Neuberger's successor as Master of the Rolls.

Neuberger's appointment has been widely welcomed in the legal profession, with some senior advocates hoping that he will forge a more united Bench after some claims that the 12 Supreme Court judges have been disunited since the court's launch.

He takes over the presidency at a period in which the body has been much in the spotlight in the wake of its creation and claims that its physical separation from Parliament could politicise its work.

Interviewed for an in depth Legal Week profile on the Supreme Court, Phillips discussed the qualities needed of the president: "Obviously [the president has] got to be a good lawyer but, if you ask what additional qualities you need, it's essentially leadership – being able to lead a team. Occasionally, there may be frictions that need to be dealt with in a way that's not going to lead to further friction. We have regular meetings that I chair in which we discuss the changes we are going to make."

The president of the Supreme Court holds a number of administrative and leadership roles, including leading discussions with the Government over policy and budgetary decisions that impact on the Court.

Neuberger was sworn in this morning in a ceremony attended by all its judges.

Commenting on his new role, 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."