Dotan Hammer arrived at law through technology — and that path makes all the difference.

He completed his computer science degree at 19, went on to work as a software developer and technology project leader in the Israeli public sector. Only then did Dotan turn to law. That sequence is not incidental to his practice. When Dotan reads a data processing agreement, a SaaS license, or an AI governance policy, he understands what is happening in the system behind it.

Today he is a Partner and Head of Global Privacy at Pearl Cohen, where he has built one of Israel’s most recognized privacy and data protection practices. Chambers & Partners ranks Dotan in IT & Data Protection — noting that his “knowledge and expertise is on a whole different level” — and The Legal 500 named him a Next Generation Partner in Intellectual Property: Commercial/Transactions.

What He Does

Dotan’s practice sits at the point where regulation meets real-world technology deployment. His clients range from global corporations and mature Israeli companies to early-stage startups — and notably, from pure technology businesses to traditional industries navigating an increasingly data-intensive environment.

• Privacy & Data Protection — Advising on GDPR, US privacy frameworks, and Israeli data protection law, with deep experience in cross-border compliance programs, data mapping, and regulatory exposure analysis.

• Cybersecurity — Counselling clients on cyber regulation and the legal dimensions of information security obligations across jurisdictions.

• Technology Transactions — Structuring and reviewing software licenses, SaaS agreements, website terms, and technology-intensive commercial contracts, with particular fluency in the technical realities underpinning them.

• Copyright & Open Source — Advising on copyright matters and the legal implications of open-source software integration in commercial products.

• Electronic Signatures — Advising on the legal requirements and enforceability of digital signature frameworks in Israeli and cross-border contexts.

Dotan has certified for CIPP/E from the International Association of Privacy Professionals — the leading international credential in privacy practice.

Dotan is a Markedly Different Kind of Privacy Lawyer

Clients describe Dotan as “personable, very efficient and practical,” with advice that is “always available” and grounded rather than theoretical. What distinguishes him is the ability to give an opinion that accounts for how a product or system actually works — not just what the regulation says about it. As one client put it: “His software background is a great advantage and added value in the context of our business.”

That combination of legal rigor and genuine technical fluency is increasingly rare, and increasingly necessary, as privacy law moves deeper into product design, AI development, and software architecture.

Education and Admissions

• Israel Bar Association
• New York State Bar
• B.A. Computer Science (cum laude), The Open University of Israel, 2002
• LL.B., Law (cum laude), Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya (Reichman University), 2011