[1] Born in Jerusalem on 6 August 1938, Cotran studied at Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt and the University of Leeds, taking both a bachelor and master of laws degree in 1958.
On his return to London he became a visiting professor and chairman of the Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law at the SOAS whilst continuing to practice at the English bar.
He was joint head of chambers with Rt Hon Sir Desmond Lorenz de Silva QC from 1986 to 1992.
[3][4][5][6] After the Oslo Accords, Judge Cotran was in 1994 appointed to the Board of the Commissioners of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (PICHR).
He also worked in projects for the unification of the laws of the West Bank and Gaza and has also acted as an Advisor to the Negotiation Affairs Department of the PLO.