The Law Commission will be seeking to recruit a new Commissioner. The appointment process is led by Government and they expect details to be on their website and the Cabinet Office’s public appointments website in early 2023. It is anticipated that the appointment will commence in late 2023/early 2024. The person appointed will take over as Commissioner for public law and the law of Wales.
What Law Commissioners Do
Law Commissioners are instrumental in leading law reform in England & Wales. Each Commissioner is appointed for a five-year term. But this may be subject to reappointment for a further five-year term. In consequence a Commissioner may serve for up to ten years. The new Commissioner can be expected to play an important and influential part in the evolution of the law in England & Wales during a period of potentially unprecedented change. The role of a Law Commissioner is not confined to the task of preparing consultation papers and reports. Much of the actual drafting is performed by the team of lawyers and researchers under your supervision. It is a much bigger job than just that. You will be directly involved in discussions with Ministers and officials and with Parliamentary Counsel and you will play an active role in the process of steering legislation through Parliament.
You will take a leading role in engaging with the public and the press and media in relation to your projects at seminars, roundtables, conferences, during one-to-one meetings and on social media. You will liaise with the senior judiciary. You will participate in shaping the future strategy of the Commission and you will be instrumental in identifying possible new areas of law in need of reform. You will also participate in “peer review” exercises whereby all the Commissioners and the Chair discuss and agree the key policy issues arising in each and every project.