At the 2001 General Synod, the Church Law Commission (formerly known as the Church Law Panel) was established to:
In recent years, the role of the Commission has broadened. Not only has the Commission provided constitutional, structural and "canonical" advice to General Synod but it has also advised on a range of non-ecclesiastical legal and commercial matters affecting the church.
- to examine questions of Church law referred to it by the Primate, the Standing Committee or the General Synod, and to report on such matters to the referring party and the Standing Committee; and
- to make recommendations to the Standing Committee on matters of church law which are of importance to this Church.
In recent years, the role of the Commission has broadened. Not only has the Commission provided constitutional, structural and "canonical" advice to General Synod but it has also advised on a range of non-ecclesiastical legal and commercial matters affecting the church.