Who is Yair Cohen

Yair Cohen is an 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 by then, bringing notorious online trolls to justice

Key cases

The case of Kirat Assi v Simran Kaur Bhogal

The first successful civil claim relating to catfishing. Yair Cohen acted for Kirat Assi who was catfished for nearly a decade by another woman who created and impersonated more than 50 different characters. Yair won his client damages and a well deserved apology

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10146435/British-radio-presenter-seduced-online-duped-decade-man-female-cousin.html

The case of Lindsey Goldrick Dean

The longest harassment case in UK history, which Yair took on after Mrs Goldrick Dean was harassed online for 13 years by a man she met through a dating website. Yair won his client an damages, vindication and a far overdue apology 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/03/harassed-online-for-13-years-the-victim-who-feels-free-at-last

The case of Nicola Brookes

The first Facebook injunction in UK history, which Yair took on after Ms Brookes was ruthlessly harassed on Facebook by a group of internet trolls (including an on duty police officer), who intensified their their harassment campaign until their identity was finally unravelled following a ground breaking court order for Facebook disclosure of users’ private information

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2158408/Nicola-Brookes-The-mother-took-trolls.html

The case of GYH v Persons Unknown

The first case in UK history that established that a transgender who was working as an escort to the rich and famous, had a right to keep her transition private in online advertising and on adult reviews websites and discussion forums. Yair took on this case after no other lawyer was willing to. This case remains one of Yair favourites 

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2018/121.html

The case of DDF v YYZ

The first case in the UK where an injunction against harassment was served on an internet troll via Instagram. The victim in the case was a known figure who had been sent death threats and vile, racist messages 

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/lawyer-in-the-news/online-harassment-injunction-first/5050373.article

The case of pornographer headteacher Mario Rogers

The first case in UK history to disrupt a prolific pornographer who exploited volnurable homeless men. Yair Cohen took on the case after his client attempted to self-harm, following the posting of pornographic videos of him, which had been taken whilst he was homeless and desperate.  As a result of this case a school headteacher, Mario Rogers, was forced to pay compensation and eventually to shut down his entire website network

https://www.internetlawcentre.co.uk/how-we-exposed-the-headteacher-who-sexually-exploited-the-homeless

The case of XLD v KZL

The first case in the UK where the right to a privacy injunction was granted to a Hollywood director after he had been blackmailed by a former personal companion 

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2020/1558.html

The case of Rada-Ortiz v Espinosa-Vadillo

The first case in the UK where the court granted a former female manager at a United Nation brunch in London, an injunction against harassment to stop a former employee who previously had been dismissed by her, to continue harassing her online. She had her own images and personal information published by the defendant who attempted to name and shame her for life 

https://www.internetlawcentre.co.uk/online-harassment-injunction-legal-advice

The case of R v Sabine McNeill

The longest sentence ever imposed in the UK on a defendant who was found guilty of online harassment. Yair took on the case under the instructions of two desperate mothers who were under an unprecedented international campaign of online harassment. The police and the CPS refused to investigate or prosecute until a compliant was filed with the DPP who was then forced to take action to protect the women and their children  

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6577369/Hampstead-pensioner-74-claimed-parents-satanic-cult-jailed-nine-years.html

The case of R v Paul Britton

The first case in UK history where evidence from GoDaddy disclosure order, which was obtained by an independent lawyer, was used to convict an online harasser. It was also the first case in UK history where an online troll was taken to a criminal court for harassment and following his conviction, in the Crown Court he was also sued in a civil court for harassment and defamation. Yair obtained for his client damages and an apology after the defendant was also given prison time

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/web-developer-avoids-jail-after-creating-website-about-exclient-falsely-claiming-he-was-a-paedophile-10021062.html

Key speciality

International disclosure orders against website operators and internet companies

Defence against online defamation and privacy breaches

Defence against aggressive reputation campaigns (personal and corporate)

 

Background of Yair Cohen

Yair has been involved with the internet since 1997 – first as a web and e-commerce developer and later as a full-time internet law specialist. He is the author of the book ‘The Net Is Closing: birth of the e-police’, which slightly ahead of its time, examined the then current state and the predicted future of the internet in terms of users’ safety and policing.

Yair Cohen is a regular contributor on TV, radio and newspaper and a speaker at national and international internet law conferences, including the Internet Law Leadership Summit, a prestigious discussion group of elite internet law attorneys who meet regularly to exchange views and ideas about the hottest topic, cases and legal developments in internet law around the world.