Lord Mayor of London and CMS Cameron McKenna partner Fiona Woolf is set to lead a UK government inquiry into historical child abuse, after retired judge Baroness Butler-Sloss stepped down from the role.

The inquiry, which was set up in July, will consider how public bodies and leading institutions have dealt with child sex abuse. It aims to address public concern over "failings exposed by successive appalling cases of organised and persistent child sex abuse both historical and more recent", according to the Home Office.

Ben Emmerson QC of Matrix Chambers will serve as counsel to the inquiry. Woolf will be assisted by Graham Wilmer, who founded charity The Lantern Project, and National Children's Bureau former deputy CEO Barbara Hearn.

Their first task will be to finalise membership of the panel and agree terms of reference for the inquiry.

Woolf (pictured) said: "Ensuring lessons are learned from the mistakes which have been made in the past and resulted in children being subjected to the most horrific crimes is a vital and solemn undertaking.

"I was honoured to be approached to lead such an important inquiry, and look forward to working with the panel to ensure these mistakes are identified and never repeated."

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "In recent years, we have seen appalling cases of organised and persistent child sex abuse which have exposed serious failings by public bodies and important institutions.

"These failings have sent shockwaves through the country and shaken public confidence in the pillars of society in which we should have total trust.

"That is why the government has announced that an independent panel of experts will consider whether such organisations have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse.

"We are absolutely clear that we must learn the lessons of past failures and the panel will be instrumental in helping us to do this."

Woolf, who is also a former Law Society president, began her career at Clifford Chance before joining legacy McKenna & Co, where she was made up as a partner in 1981. She will step down as mayor in November.

Butler-Sloss resigned from her position as inquiry head in July after concerns were raised that she is the sister of the late Sir Michael Havers, who was attorney-general at the time of alleged abuses in the 1980s.

Related profile: The Woolf of Walbrook: Fiona Woolf's rise from McKenna's first female partner to Lord Mayor of London