Filiz Kiani
Meet Filiz
Filiz Kiani is a senior solicitor at Cohen Davis Solicitors, having joined the firm in 2017. She earned a first-class honours degree and qualified as a solicitor in 2019. Filiz has quickly risen to prominence within the firm, becoming a managing director and a key figure in the firm's leadership.
Areas of Expertise
Filiz specialises in internet and social media law, focusing on defamation, privacy, data protection, and harassment claims. She primarily advises Claimants and is adept at navigating the complexities of civil litigation and online content removal. Her extensive experience includes securing substantial damages, public apologies, and urgent injunctions to protect clients' reputations and privacy.
Filiz is particularly skilled in handling cases involving high-profile online trolling, GDPR compliance, and challenging journalistic exemptions to protect client privacy. Filiz acts for private clients, companies, as well as high-profile individuals, including celebrities, and professionals.
Notable Cases
- Kirat Assi v Simran Bhogal [2021]: Filiz was the lead solicitor in a landmark case involving misuse of private information, harassment, and data protection rights infringement. This case, recognised as one of the longest-running cases of online trolling, earned Filiz the "Lawyer of the week" title by the Law Gazette.
- Rzucek v Vinnicombe [2025] EWHC 403 (KB): Represented Franklin Rzucek in a successful High Court claim for online defamation and harassment concerning content published on YouTube. Judgment entered in full for the Claimant following strike-out of the defence and counterclaim.
- Aaronson v Stones [2023] EWHC 2399 (KB): Filiz successfully represented a prominent figure in the adult entertainment industry in a libel claim, securing £110,000 in damages, an injunction, and costs.
- Elliot Kebbie v West Yorkshire Police: Represented a Royal Marine in a landmark defamation and privacy case. The High Court found that West Yorkshire Police committed the highest level of defamation by falsely alleging criminal conduct in a report to the Navy. The case led to a public apology, systemic police reforms, and £67,500 in damages for libel and privacy breaches. A further £30,000 was secured for false imprisonment. Widely reported in The Times.
- Stephen Belafonte v Melanie Brown (Mel B) [2024]: Represented Stephen Belafonte in cross-jurisdictional family proceedings, resulting in the withdrawal of an emergency application and a costs order in his favour. Also acted on the removal of related online defamation and reputational content.
- CWD V Nevit & Ors [2020] EWHC 1289 (QB): Represented the Claimant in a case involving harassment, defamation, and misuse of private information, successfully settled under intense public and media scrutiny.
- GYH v Persons Unknown [2018] EWHC 121 (QB) – Obtained summary judgment for the Claimant in her claim relating to a campaign of harassment published online, having previously obtained an interim injunction in the same proceedings ([2017] EWHC 3360 (QB)).
