The UK’s first Internet Lawyer.
Fighting online harassment and abuse since 1997.
Who is Yair Cohen?
Yair Cohen is a UK based expert international internet law and social media lawyer with the London law firm Cohen Davis
For nearly 25 years, Yair has been championing the rights of women who suffer online abuse by taking on some of the most challenging harassment and online trolling cases and bringing notorious online trolls to justice.
KEY REPORTED CASES BY LAWYER YAIR COHEN
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The case of Frankie Rzucek v Alan Vinnicombe
Victim of catfishing was “driven crazy” by catfish
Mel B and Stephen Belafonte Court Case
Behind the scenes of the Sweet Bobby legal case
The Case of David Paisley vs. Graham Linehan
The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax case
The case of TJM v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police
The case of David Paisley and Graham Linehan
The case of Brian Dudley v Michael Phillips
The case of XLD v KZL
The case of Rada-Ortiz v Espinosa-Vadillo
The case of Dominated Men and Mario Rogers
The case of DDF V YYZ
The Case of GYH V Persons Unknown
The case of Nicola Brookes V Persons Unknown
The case of Lindsey Goldrick Dean V Paul Curran
AS SEEN ON
“This programme should send your contact details to Cressida Dick who runs the Met… because you seem to have found a shortcut to finding and prosecuting these individuals.”
Richard Madeley
Good Morning Britain
Latest Cases:
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare – The Lawyer’s Perspective on a Decade of Deception
Mel B and Stephen Belafonte Court Case – Why was Mel B slammed with a cost order following her restraining order
The Case of David Paisley vs. Graham Linehan – defamation, liability of page admin to defamation by third party users
Who is Yair Cohen
Yair Cohen is a solicitor whose journey into the vast and intricate domain of internet law began in 1997.
Starting as a web and e-commerce developer, his transition into a full-time internet law specialist was fuelled by a deep understanding of the online ecosystem’s dynamics. His vast experience culminated in his authorship of ‘The Net Is Closing: birth of the e-police’, a pioneering book that delved deep into the realms of online safety and policing.
His authority in the field is undisputed, having been a sought-after voice on TV, radio, newspapers, and notably, a contributing writer for the Daily Mail. Furthermore, Yair is recognized not just for his knowledge but also for being a colourful and engaging speaker, making him a favourite at multiple international internet law conferences. His interactions at these platforms have allowed him to be at the helm of developments in internet law globally.
A glance at some of his landmark cases underscores Yair Cohen’s unparalleled expertise
- The case of Melony Brown (Mel B) v Stephen Belafonte: Yair Cohen successfully defended a non-molestation order application by the former Spice Girl, Mel B against her former husband.
- Brian Dudley v Michael Phillips: A case where a financial advisor was awarded combined damages for defamation and a Data Protection Act breach after enduring 6 years of online harassment.
- XLD v KZL: Yair strategically secured a blackmail injunction, safeguarding the confidentiality of a relationship and the identity of an involved individual.
- R V Paul Britton & Phipps v Paul Britton and Origin Design: A first-of-its-kind case in the UK where an online troll faced dual accountability: in a criminal court and subsequently in a civil case in the High Court.
- Rada-Ortiz v Espinosa-Vadillo: This case set a UK precedent by issuing a harassment injunction against a former UN employee who targeted his previous supervisor.
- Dominated Men and Mario Rogers: Yair’s meticulous investigation unveiled a primary school head teacher’s covert and exploitative life as a porn producer.
- DDF V YYZ: Another first, where Yair achieved service of a harassment injunction via Instagram.
- GYH V Persons Unknown: Yair championed the rights of a transgender sex worker, preserving her right to maintain privacy regarding her transition on review websites.
- The case of Nicola Brookes V Persons Unknown: A pioneering case compelling Facebook to reveal information about an internet troll.
- Lindsey Goldrick Dean V Paul Curran: Yair’s relentless efforts culminated in justice being served in the UK’s longest-known harassment case, lasting for over a decade.
- The Case of Kirat Assi v Simran Kaur Bhogal – Sweet Bobbyi A decade-long catfishing intrigue that saw its conclusion with Yair bringing the culprit to justice in the High Court.
- TJM v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police: A monumental case where, for the first time, a police force was found guilty of the highest level of defamation. Yair represented a Royal Marine who suffered defamation at the hands of the police force.
- The case of The Hampstead satanic cult: An extraordinary case where an entire London community battled the police and CPS for their right to be protected from social media abuse. Following legal intervention, the case was prosecuted, resulting in the highest sentence ever imposed in the UK for harassment being handed down to the perpetrator.
- The case of David Paisley and Graham Linehan: Yair Cohen represents David Paisley, a Scottish actor and transgender rights activist, in a defamation case against Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted. Paisley, known for his role in Holby City, is suing Linehan over articles and comments published on Linehan’s Substack blog and social media channels. In a pre-trial hearing at the English High Court, seven different publications by Linehan were presented, which were deemed capable of being defamatory. The court also ruled that Linehan would need to defend comments made by a third party on his platform. Paisley is seeking to clear his name through the forthcoming trial. Linehan, who denies the accusations, has set up a crowdfunding campaign to cover his legal expenses.
With such a vast repertoire of ground-breaking cases, Yair Cohen stands as a beacon in internet law. His experiences, combined with his eloquent engagements, solidify his stature as a leading authority in the realm of digital justice.
“We have got laws in place: the same laws that apply to offline activities apply to online activities.“
Yair Cohen
on BBC Radio
Recent Events
May 2022
The Internet Law Leadership Summit 2022
The annual gathering of the most prominent internet law lawyers and attorneys from across the world
From 09:00 until 17:00
At Aria Hotel, Las Vegas
April 2020
The Data Protection Practitioners' Conference 2020
The annual ICO conference with Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham CBE
From 08:30 until 17:00
At Manchester Central Convention Complex