Lawyer Joseph Zammit McKeon is expected to be sworn in as a judge after the Cabinet yesterday agreed to nominate him for the position, a Justice Ministry spokesman said.

The 52-year-old lawyer and University lecturer, who lives in Lija, graduated in law from the University of Malta in 1982.

Contacted yesterday, Dr Zammit McKeon said he had accepted the appointment, which he said was the next step in his long legal career.

"I am prepared to serve my country in the best way possible and my mission statement is to mirror the way I dealt with my own clients throughout my career as a lawyer," he said.

Dr Zammit McKeon occupied the post of president of the Occupational Health and Safety Commission between 1994 and 2001 and participated in several local and international conferences on the subject.

In 2001, he was appointed Malta Transport Authority chairman and resigned the following year for health reasons. He lectures in occupational health and safety at the University's Faculty of Law and Labour Studies' Centre.

Dr Zammit McKeon is married to Mary Anne with whom he has two daughters, Alessia and Angele, and a son, Andrew.

Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici yesterday congratulated Dr Zammit McKeon on his nomination.

The date of the swearing-in has still to be set, the ministry spokesman said.

According to the Constitution, a judge is appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Prime Minister. To qualify for this nomination he must have worked as a lawyer or served as a magistrate for at least 12 years.