Quentin L. Cook, JD ’66, gave the keynote address at the annual Stanford University Latter-day Saint Convocation on October 27, 2015. Cook, was sustained as an elder in 2007, has spent much of his career in leadership roles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and, as its elder, currently presides in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, one of the highest positions in church administration.

In his address to the convocation, held in Stanford Memorial the LDS church’s view of the importance of religious freedom. Cook lauded recent remarks by Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth, and also praised the history of Stanford University. He stated his belief that the school’s co-founder, Jane Lathrop Stanford, would be pleased to observe the law school’s current contributions to the debate of religious liberty.

Prior to serving with the LDS church full time, Cook had a very successful legal career. After graduating from Stanford Law School, he was a corporate attorney for 27 years, becoming a managing partner of Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll, Thompson & Horn in the San Francisco area. He then was appointed president and CEO of the California Healthcare System and vice chairman of Sutter Health System.