High Court judge Sir Declan Morgan is to become Northern Ireland's next Lord Chief Justice.
It is understood Sir Declan will replace Sir Brian Kerr, who later this month will leave the top legal post that he has held for five years.
Sir Declan was called to the Bar in 1976 and took Silk in 1993, before being appointed a High Court judge in May 2004.
He was educated at St Columb's College, Londonderry, and attended Cambridge and then Queen's University, Belfast.
A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Court Service declined to comment on expectations of Sir Declan's appointment.
He said: "An announcement concerning the appointment of a new Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland is expected soon."
The new Lord Chief Justice will take up the position at a time of major change in Northern Ireland's justice system.
The DUP and Sinn Fein have agreed to devolve policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont.
The change will see the creation of a Justice Minister at Stormont and the appointment of a new Attorney General for Northern Ireland.
First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have already announced that John Larkin QC will take on the post of Attorney General when the devolution process is completed.
© Press Association