Elizabeth Cooke appointed Law Commissioner

Elizabeth Cooke has been appointed as a Law Commissioner today. Professor Cooke has been appointed for five years from 3 July 2008. She will be responsible for Property, Family and Trust Law projects.

Professor Cooke has been a regular contributor to the Family Law journal and Child and Family Law Quarterly.

Announcing the appointment Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw said: "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Cooke as Law Commissioner. She is an extremely talented scholar and will be of enormous benefit to the Law Commission. I look forward to working with her.

The Law Commission is an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and established by the Law Commissions Act 1965. It exists to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reform where needed. Its recommendations are designed to make the law as fair, modern, simple and cost effective as possible.

Professor Cooke will take over as a Law Commissioner from Mr Stuart Bridge whose tenure ends on 2 July 2008.

Elizabeth Cooke is currently a Professor of Law at the University of Reading.

Professor Cooke said: "Since its foundation in 1965, the Law Commission has played an important role in the reform of property law and family law, and I am very excited at this opportunity to join in the Commission's work".