First Deemster David Doyle is to vacate the office and return to private practice.

Mr Doyle announced his decision today and will officially step down on July 31, he will then join Cains Advocates later in the year.

He was appointed as First Deemster in December 2010 following the death of Michael Kerruish, having been Acting First Deemster for the previous 12 months and Second Deemster since March 2003.

A statement from Government House said: ’On behalf of the Crown and of his three predecessors and himself, the Lieutenant Governor expresses enormous gratitude to His Honour Deemster Doyle for 15 years of exemplary service first as Second Deemster and then as First Deemster.’

The announcement by Cains Advocates that Mr Doyle was to join the firm followed shortly after, saying he will be a senior lawyer within the firms litigation department.

Andrew Corlett, Managing Director at Cains said: "We are very pleased that David has chosen to take the next step of his career with Cains and that he will be joining the firm later this year".

It is believed Mr Doyle will take up the new role in November as he cannot pratice law in any form for three months following his resignation.

He also cannot appear as an advocate in any court or tribunal in the Isle of Man or elsewhere for a period of at least 6 months, however he says he has no future intentions to do so.

A Government House spokesman said: ’the process to fill the ensuing vacancy of First Deemster will begin shortly’.

The First Deemster is President of the High Court of the Isle of Man and also holds the positions of Clerk of the Rolls and Deputy Lieutenant Governor with the appointment made by The Queen on the recommendation of a selection panel.

Mr Doyle graduated from Newcastle University in 1981 and was called to the Manx Bar in 1984, he previously said: ’The Manx exams were the hardest I have ever taken in my professional career-much more difficult than the English exams.’

It was the difficulty of these exams which encouraged him to write a book on Manx law in 2011, entitled Manx Criminal Law and Procedure.