She succeeded George L. Cooper on July 1
Corporate and commercial law expert Anna M. Cook has been appointed the new chief executive officer at Cox & Palmer as of July 1.
She took over for George L. Cooper last week. Cox & Palmer’s regional board of directors elected Cook to the role by vote.
Cook will collaborate with the regional leadership team over her two-year term to oversee Cox & Palmer’s overall strategic direction and operational leadership. She will establish organizational priorities, progress key initiatives, and identify and drive innovation and growth opportunities.
“Anna is an exceptional leader and champion of our firm whose professionalism, business acumen and commitment to client service position her to lead Cox & Palmer into its next chapter,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, regional board of directors chair, in a statement.
Cook is based in St. John’s but works across the Newfoundland and Labrador offices as well. According to LinkedIn, she has been with the firm for over 28 years.
She was key to Cox & Palmer’s merger with St. John’s litigation firm Benson Buffett last year, which increased Cox & Palmer’s headcount in the area to 45 lawyers. As a practitioner, she has tackled commercial financings, mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate, shareholder disputes, and complex business transactions. In particular, she concentrates on fisheries and aquaculture, handling enterprise sales, financial, and regulatory matters.
Cook has been ranked by Lexpert as a leading corporate commercial law and M&A law practitioner. She took silk in 2024.
She presently chairs the Board of Trade and played a key role in the board’s merger with the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council. She has a bachelor of arts degree from the Memorial University of Newfoundland; she secured her LL.B. from Dalhousie University.
“I am honoured to take on this role and to continue building on the strong foundation and collaborative culture that have defined Cox & Palmer since its formation as a regional firm in 2007,” Cook said.
Her predecessor, Cooper, had served four terms as Cox & Palmer’s chief executive officer, beginning 2018. He concluded his final term on June 30 but will remain with the firm as a partner in its Moncton, New Brunswick office.
