Barclays global general counsel for corporate and investment banking Judith Shepherd is set to step down from her role in the first half of 2015.

She will continue working with the bank over the coming months while a successor is appointed and a handover period is completed.

It is understood that the bank has no firm idea of a replacement for Shepherd as yet, and is open to the possibility of candidates both from private practice and in-house backgrounds.

Shepherd, who is based in London is also a member of Barclays Capital's executive committee and operating committee.

She joined Barclays in 2006 – taking the newly created role of deputy general counsel – from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, where she had been a corporate finance partner for six years. In September 2008, she became general counsel for global retail and commercial banking, with responsibility for the legal and compliance functions across that group.

When longstanding BarCap general counsel Jonathan Hughes stepped down in 2010, Shepherd replaced him in the role. Shortly after, BarCap rejigged its legal function, and Shepherd took on additional responsibility for managing the bank's compliance division under the title of global head of legal and compliance.