Leading criminal, public law and human rights barrister at 25 Bedford Row and New Park Court. Called 1983; KC 2010. Former Clifford Chance lawyer and top grade Attorney General panel prosecutor. Acts in major criminal cases, inquiries and inquests, including the Manchester Arena Inquiry. Prosecutor at the Iran Tribunal in The Hague. Visiting Professor of Law at Newcastle University, Master of the Bench of Middle Temple and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Leading criminal cases include, the successful defence in the Ashley Dale murder trial, the defence in R v Cashman, the Olivia Pratt-Korbell murder case and the murder acquittal in the so called 'Tik Tok' murder trial.
His public law cases include judicial reviews in the Dr David Kelly weapons inspector death, the challenge to the government's deal with the DUP and the Northern Rock collapse litigation. Cooper also advised 43 Labour MP's on the Supreme Court prorogation case and the Labour opposition on the Kensington and Chelsea Local Council in relation to the Grenfell Inquiry and shareholder in relation to the BCCI Bank collapse.
He represented the majority of bereaved families in the Manchester Arena Bomb Inquiry and has been instructed in serious terrorism related cases.
Other leading public law work include a significant range of public protest and freedom of speech cases, including the successful 'Twitter Joke Trial' challenge to Keir Starmer's DPP decisions in relation to the prosecution of social media posts, trial work for journalist Gregg Hadfield and International Comedian Reginald Hunter as part of their successful challenges against accusations of antisemitism and representation of the Occupy St Paul's protesters, The HS2 tunneller protesters, the Sheffield tree protesters and the Balcome Anti Fracking campaign, all in the High Court.
He has been an Advisor to leading politicians, a portfolio that includes those in the role of Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Solicitor General and Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
He was Special Advisor to Lord Bach's Access to Justice Report and advisor to the Law Commission in a number of its reports on the reform of the law of murder and the provision of expert evidence in the criminal courts. John has given evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee and the Justice Select Committee.
Formerly Vice Chair of the Bar Council Public Affairs Committee and the high profile 25th Anniversary Bar Conference, Professor Cooper has expertise in the coverage of legal affairs in the wider social context.
John was a Times columnist for ten years and regularly writes and broadcasts on legal affairs, including contributions to New Law Journal. He played the role of 'the Judge' in Channel Four's 'Teens on Trial' and reprised the role in 2025 for Channel Five's 'Prince Andrew on Trial.'
He has written a number of leading text books, including those on Article 3 and Inquests, the latter based on his vast coronial law practice which includes the Deepcut Barracks deaths, the Jacintha Saldanha (Australian disc jockey hoax call to royal nurse) and many of the leading military bereavements, including advising on the death of Private Gordon Gentle, the Hercules air tragedy, Nimrod mid air explosion and Puma helicopter 'brown out' disaster.
He has also written drama for theatre and television and is represented by the leading agency Independent Talent.
He was awarded the Freedom of London in 2012.