Francis has a law degree with Honours from Victoria University of Wellington, and a Masters degree from Cambridge University.

After periods with leading law firms in the United Kingdom (Ashursts) and New Zealand (Chapman Tripp), Francis commenced practice as a barrister sole in 1993 specialising in commercial and public law cases. Soon after doing so he was retained as junior counsel assisting the “Winebox” Inquiry, and fulfilled that role on a full-time basis until the Commission reported in 1997. Subsequently he has been involved in a number of significant cases and been instructed as counsel in many judicial review claims, both for and against a range of public bodies. He has represented clients in several commercial cases involving public entities, as well as commercial litigation more broadly. A list of major cases and his recent publications is attached.

Francis advises a range of Crown entities, as well as private bodies who deal with them. He is the author of the Misrepresentation and Fraud title of the Laws of New Zealand, and is involved in the New Zealand Law Society’s continuing education programmes.

Francis was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2004 at the age of 38, becoming the third generation of the Cooke family to have taken silk.

Contact
Tel: +64 4 499 6040
DDI: +64 4 460 0634
Fax: +64 4 499 6118
Email: francis.cooke@chambers.co.nz