Dr. Yael Rimer Cohen holds the Alfred Landecker-Nathan Feinberg Lectureship for the Study of Individual and Group Rights dedicated to the Study of Protection of Minorities and Vulnerable Groups. She is affiliated with the Haruv Institute for the Study of Child Abuse and Neglect and the Weatherhead Center for Equality and Social Inclusion. She is a legal scholar engaged in the study of Public Law (both administrative and constitutional), with specific expertise in marginalized groups, poverty law and the Regulation of Legislation. Her research spans interdisciplinary boundaries, drawing from the realms of law, social work, political studies, and gender studies. She combines normative-theoretical methods with empirical qualitative research. Her focus lies in examining the social exclusion among individuals living in poverty and its multifaceted ramifications. She pays particular attention to the intersectionality of poverty with ethnicity, age, and gender, seeking to amplify marginalized voices within the domain of welfare law. Yael’s scholarly contributions have been featured in prestigious publications such as the Modern Law Review, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, Regulation & Government, and Columbia Journal for Gender and Law.

Yael’s academic journey commenced with the completion of her PhD thesis at the Hebrew University Law Faculty, under the mentorship of Prof. Barak Medina. Subsequently, she furthered her research pursuits through postdoctoral positions at the Safra Center for Ethics at Tel Aviv University, Harvard Law School under the mentorship of Prof. Lucie White, and the Minerva Center for Human Rights in the Child Rights Program. Prior to her academic pursuits, Yael gained valuable experience through an internship with the Honorable Dorit Beinish, Chief Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court, followed by a tenure as a community lawyer specializing in social benefits, housing, and individual insolvency. Her expertise has extended beyond academia, with governmental departments seeking her counsel on various public policy issues. Notable engagements include contributing to comparative research for the legislation of a new welfare law in Israel, training lawyers and judges in poverty-aware lawyering, and advising on the socio-economic impacts of renewable energy initiatives on impoverished communities.