Ursula Cheer


Ursula Jan Cheer is a New Zealand law academic. She is currently a full professor at the University of Canterbury.

Academic career

After growing up in Christchurch, New Zealand and doing an undergraduate at University of Canterbury and practising privately, Cheer worked in government in Wellington, first at the Justice Department and then the Office of the Prime Minister. She then moved to London to work at the Law Commission, before returning to the University of Canterbury as a full professor, and later Dean.
Cheer's research interests focus on media law and chilling effects. She appears frequently in the media on these topics.
In 1990, Cheer was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.

Selected works