Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Edward McCabe, the former chief administrative judge in the county, is retiring Tuesday.

The 76-year-old judge is joining the Uniondale law firm of Sahn Ward & Baker as of counsel starting Wednesday. A breakfast is being held at the Nassau County Supreme Court in Mineola Tuesday morning to honor the outgoing justice.

New York state law requires judges to retire at the age of 70, but they are allowed to apply for three two-year extensions. McCabe’s final extension is due to expire at the end of the year, but he said he preferred to leave earlier.

“There is life after this,” McCabe said in his near-empty office on Monday afternoon. “I am a very, very lucky person.”

McCabe has been a judge in Nassau for the past 23 years. Prior to that, McCabe served as town attorney for North Hempstead, Nassau County Attorney and an assistant District Attorney in Nassau County.