Cohen Davis Solicitors
Overview
Cohen Davis Solicitors is a specialist, boutique internet and social media law firm that positions itself as the UK’s longest-serving dedicated internet law practice. The firm focuses exclusively on internet-related disputes and advisory work—defamation, online harassment, disclosure/identification work, online blackmail/sextortion, right-to-be-forgotten and domain disputes—and runs in-house OSINT and technical teams to handle large-scale digital evidence. It combines litigation and injunctive work with technical identification capability and close academic partnerships (notably BPP) to deliver specialist training and apprenticeships in internet law.
- Headquarters: Waltham Abbey (Epping Forest)
- Lawyers: 12
- Partners: 1
- Trainees: 6
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Media & Entertainment
- Intellectual Property
- Technology & Digital
- Criminal Law
- Commercial Contracts
- Fraud & Investigations
- Regulatory & Compliance
Geographic Focus: Core strength and operational base in the UK (Essex and London). The firm acts for private and corporate clients from across the world and works regularly with an international network of lawyers in Europe, the United States and Canada to run cross-jurisdiction matters (identification, disclosure, injunctive relief and cross-border enforcement).
Training Contract
Multiple qualification routes: traditional training contract (open/rolling applications) and apprenticeship routes. Training contracts can run from 2 years (for candidates who have passed the LPC) to up to 5 years for trainees who undertake the LPC while training with the firm. Solicitor apprenticeship options include an Undergraduate Solicitor Apprenticeship (6-year Level 7 programme based in the Essex office, LLB awarded through BPP) and a Post Graduate Legal Apprenticeship (30-month programme for degree-holders, SQE-focused, delivered with BPP). Apprentices and trainees work 35 hours per week with one day reserved for study and receive structured internal training alongside academic tuition.
- Starting Salary: £17,000 (minimum starting wage for solicitor apprentice; wage increases as apprentice progresses)
- Trainee Intake: 3 (solicitor apprenticeship places offered in 2023)
- Academic Requirements: Undergraduate Solicitor Apprenticeship: minimum of 3 A-Levels at grades A, B, B totalling 128 UCAS points and at least 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above including English and Maths. Post Graduate / Graduate Apprenticeship: a qualifying law degree with a minimum 2.1, or a non-law degree minimum 2.1 plus GDL/PGDL/CPE or equivalent.
Seat Options
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Media & Entertainment
- Intellectual Property
- Technology & Digital
- Corporate & M&A
- Commercial Contracts
Sponsorship
All study and assessment fees for the solicitor apprentice programme are paid by Cohen Davis Solicitors. For the undergraduate apprenticeship, tuition is paid by both the government and the law firm. The firm will consider sponsoring the LPC for the right training contract applicant.
SQE Support
Academic study and SQE preparation delivered in partnership with BPP Law School. Post Graduate Legal Apprenticeship and Graduate Apprenticeship use BPP for SQE1/SQE2 preparation; apprentices combine on-the-job learning with BPP tuition (blend of online and face-to-face).
Mentorship
Apprentices receive one-on-one support from a dedicated solicitor, group training, video and online resources, ongoing tight supervision and a named supervisor. The firm provides a quiet study area in the office and reserves one day per week for academic study.
Programmes & Schemes
A 6-year Level 7 solicitor apprenticeship based at the firm’s Essex (Waltham Abbey) office. Apprentices combine paid practical work with formal academic study at BPP (LLB Hons awarded) while gaining the six years’ experience required to qualify as a solicitor. Apprentices work 35 hours per week, have one day per week for study, receive in-house training, and have tuition paid by the government and the firm.
- Duration: 6 years
- Salary: Minimum starting wage £17,000 per annum (apprentice minimum)
- Places: 3 (2023 intake)
A 30-month Post Graduate Legal Apprenticeship for degree-holders (law and non-law graduates) delivered jointly with BPP Law School. The programme refreshes foundational knowledge, prepares candidates for SQE1 and SQE2, combines on-the-job learning with BPP tuition and offers close internal supervision and training in internet and social media law.
- Duration: 30 months
A 30-month Graduate Apprenticeship aimed at law graduates who have yet to complete LPC or SQE. The role combines four days’ work at the firm with one day at BPP Law School and offers a route to qualification while being paid and having tuition funded.
- Duration: 30 months
Regular visits to secondary schools around the Essex area to promote and explain the undergraduate solicitor apprenticeship route and encourage local applicants. The firm engages with school career services to accept invitations and to present the apprenticeship opportunity.
Notable Matters
Cohen Davis acted for the successful claimant in Aaronson v Stones [2023] EWHC 2399 (KB), a media/online defamation trial heard in the Media and Communications List. The claim involved repeated tweets and a YouTube video alleging serial rape; the firm ran a strategy on serious harm, attacked the defendant’s truth defence and public-interest defence, and obtained judgment including general and aggravated damages and an injunction. Outcome included damages of £110,000 and a section 13 order under
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
The firm took on a multi-year impersonation and catfishing campaign affecting Sasha-Jay Davies. Within 48 hours of instruction Cohen Davis used open-source intelligence to identify the person behind the 'Sophie Kadare' network and proceeded to High Court (Part 7) proceedings; the underlying matter produced a High Court apology and damages for the client and demonstrated the firm’s combination of OSINT and court disclosure work.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Cohen Davis has acted in reported blackmail injunction matters where the firm secured emergency injunctions and anonymity orders to stop live extortion and sextortion threats, including urgent same-day applications and anonymity on the court file. The firm emphasises swift injunction route combined with identification work and civil remedies to protect victims.
Criminal Law
The firm combined a Norwich Pharmacal disclosure application against a financial institution with in-house OSINT to identify the people behind an international email fraud. The hybrid approach (court disclosure plus OSINT) produced meaningful disclosure and identification of the individuals involved in cross-border financial fraud.
Fraud & Investigations
Cohen Davis used disclosure orders and open-source investigative work to identify the publisher of an anonymous Google review damaging a dental practice, enabling takedown and follow-up legal steps against the author.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
The firm represented parents and families in high-profile harassment litigation (Hampstead-related matters) that led to substantial criminal sentences for online harassers; case work demonstrates cross-over between civil injunctions, criminal reporting and complex multi-defendant campaigns.
Criminal Law
What Cohen Davis Solicitors Looks For
Key Competencies
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Excellent communication skills
- Client-facing interpersonal skills
- Commercial awareness and practical problem-solving
- Curiosity, self-reflection and willingness to accept feedback
- Attention to detail and strong drafting ability
- Interest in digital/technical investigation methods (OSINT)
Evidence Signals
- Demonstrable teamwork (group projects, team sports or workplace experience)
- Client-facing experience or strong service-orientation
- Clear written communication in cover letters and applications
- Interest or experience in digital investigation, social media or technology
- Willingness to work from the Essex office / local applicants for Essex-based roles
- A 2:1 degree (for postgraduate apprenticeship applicants) or the A-level entry profile for undergraduate apprentices
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Solicitor apprentice minimum starting salary: £17,000 per annum
- All study and assessment fees for solicitor apprentices paid by Cohen Davis Solicitors
- Undergraduate apprenticeship tuition paid by government and the law firm
- LPC sponsorship considered for the right training contract applicant
- One day per week reserved for academic study
- Quiet study area provided in the offices
- 35 working hours per week for apprentices (with study day included)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Innovation
The firm invests in technical capability to support internet law work: an in-house OSINT team (investigators and developers) and bespoke tools allow identification of anonymous publishers, bulk management of web links and social posts, and preservation of forensic evidence. The firm’s secure project-management app gives clients 24/7 visibility of case progress. Trainees and apprentices work alongside the OSINT team and are exposed to technical evidence-gathering and digital investigation methods as part of their training.
- In-house OSINT tools and investigative capability
- Secure project management app (SSL-protected) for clients
- In-house investigators and developers to manage large volumes of digital evidence
Quick Application Angles
- Demonstrate a clear, specific interest in internet and social-media law — reference a Cohen Davis case such as Aaronson v Stones or the Sasha-Jay Davies impersonation (show you understand the legal and technical issues involved).
- Highlight teamwork and client-facing experience in your cover letter: the firm emphasises collaboration, interpersonal skills and early client contact, so concrete examples of working effectively in teams will resonate.
- Show technical curiosity or relevant digital experience (OSINT, data-handling, social-media moderation or investigative research) — the firm values practical technical capability alongside legal skills.
- If applying for an Essex-based apprenticeship, make clear your ability to travel by car or to relocate (the firm notes limited public transport and prioritises local applicants).
- Mention the BPP partnership and your readiness to balance one day of academic study with four days of practice-based work; explain why the apprenticeship model suits your career goals.
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