Author and lawyer specialising in public and administrative law. Blom-Cooper supplied detailed written evidence on the three Royal Commissions on the press since the Second World War, including histories of such concerns as "cheque-book journalism" and how to deal with irresponsible and inaccurate journalism. He told the Inquiry he favoured a possible Commission on Media Affairs. Sir Louis had himself been a Press Council chairman in 1988 shortly before it was replaced by the Press Complaints Commission. In 1992 he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland as the first Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres. He was also counsel to the Saville Inquiry acting for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.