LAWYER
Russell P. Cohen
Partner | San Francisco
Russell P. Cohen

Russell P. Cohen is a partner in Dechert’s antitrust/competition group, representing some of the world’s top technology companies in their most complex antitrust and business disputes. An experienced litigator, Mr. Cohen focuses his practice on antitrust and unfair competition disputes, venture capital and other high-stakes litigation, particularly in the technology sector.

He has represented market-leading companies, including Microsoft Corporation, Netflix Inc., LinkedIn and Zillow Group, in federal and state court and arbitration proceedings. He is currently representing Microsoft in high-profile litigation brought by Elon Musk and XAI; defending LinkedIn in an antitrust class action challenging its API partner program; and was part of the team that secured a complete victory for Zillow in a high-stakes antitrust litigation case, which was widely covered by Law360, Bloomberg Law, and Reuters Legal. This significant win led to Mr. Cohen and Dechert partner Jay Jurata being honored as runner-ups in American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week.

Mr. Cohen maintains an active pro bono practice, acting as counsel in the successful Alien Tort Statute case against an assassin involved in the murder of Archbishop Oscar Romero in El Salvador. Other pro bono matters include representing a parent and child separated at the southern border of the United States, former Guantanamo detainees pursuing damages for torture and unlawful detention, and a group of Canadian and international human rights organizations and scholars in the U.S. Supreme Court in Arar v. Ashcroft.

Key Matters

  • Microsoft over two decades in numerous antitrust matters in federal and state courts, and in connection with proceedings in other jurisdictions around the world.
  • LinkedIn in a seminal case securing its right to prevent scraping of LinkedIn profiles and rejecting unfair competition and other claims; and in antitrust litigation.
  • Zillow in defending antitrust claims relating to the display of broker listing information, securing a significant victory in a high-stakes litigation case.

Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

Antitrust

  • Microsoft over two decades in numerous antitrust matters in federal and state courts, and in connection with proceedings in other jurisdictions around the world.
  • LinkedIn in a seminal case securing its right to prevent scraping of LinkedIn profiles and rejecting unfair competition and other claims; and in antitrust litigation.
  • Zillow in defending antitrust claims relating to the display of broker listing information, securing a significant victory in a high-stakes litigation case.
  • Delta Dental companies in a multidistrict antitrust challenge to their business structure.
  • Netflix in a challenge to Fox's use of long-term exclusive services agreements with business executives as anti-competitive and a violation of California's pro-mobility public policy.
  • Dyson in obtaining a dismissal of Walker process and Handgards antitrust claims in Cornucopia Products LLC v. Dyson Incorporated.
  • CP Ships and Superior Propane in contested merger proceedings in Canada.

Venture capital

  • Web Summit in an investor dispute in state court litigation and arbitration.
  • 1955 Capital in an investor dispute in arbitration, state court and federal court litigation.

Cyber and insurance

  • Medidata in a Second Circuit appeal of a district court decision finding insurance coverage for computer fraud.
  • Sony in pursuing property and liability insurance claims arising out of cyber-attacks on its online gaming, video and music networks.
  • HP in litigation seeking insurance coverage for data loss due to employee sabotage.

Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

  • Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week – Law360 (March 7, 2025)
  • Litigation Star – California – Benchmark Litigation
  • Litigation Star – United States (National) – Benchmark Litigation
  • Runner-up, Litigator of the Week – American Lawyer
Services Industries
    • McGill University, B.A., English, 1990
    • Osgoode Hall Law School York University, J.D., 1995
    • California
    • State Bar of California
    • Association of Business Trial Lawyers
    • Bar Association of San Francisco
    • Section Advisor, California Lawyers Association, Antitrust and Unfair Competiton Law Section