The Honourable Justice Francis Cooke

Justice Cooke graduated LLB (Hons) from Victoria University in 1989 and LLM from the University of Cambridge, UK in 1990.  He was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1990 and after a period of working in London with the international law firm Ashurst Morris Crisp as a foreign solicitor, he returned to New Zealand and was employed by Chapman Tripp from 1992-94.  He went to the independent bar in 1994 as one of the founding members of Thorndon Chambers.  He specialised in public and commercial law.  He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2004.  Justice Cooke was appointed a High Court Judge on in April 2018, and as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in March 2024.  He served as the Chair of the Rules Committee between 2020 and 2026.  He was appointed to the Supreme Court in February 2026.