Attorney Yvonne Frederiksen will pay nearly two million dollars in compensation to Jes Dorph

Advocate Yvonne Frederiksen will pay nearly two million Danish crowns in compensation to former TV host Jes Dorph.

The High Court (https://www.domstol.dk/hoejesteret/aktuelt/2025/12/om-erstatningsansvar-for-gennemfoerelse-af-advokatundersoegelse/) has made this decision.

Yvonne Frederiksen was behind an investigation into sexual harassment, which was carried out on TV2 in 2020. This cost Jes Dorph his job at Nordisk Film, which produces 'Go' Live for TV2.

According to the High Court's ruling, it is found that Yvonne Frederiksen did not have sufficient basis to conclude that Jes Dorph had committed sexual harassment in two episodes in 2001 and 2003.

- Advocate B (Yvonne Frederiksen, ed.) had therefore disregarded the due care that was owed to her, as stated among other things in the ruling.

Yvonne Frederiksen must pay exactly 1,990,602.65 Danish crowns in compensation to Jes Dorph and the costs of the case, which amount to 443,000 Danish crowns. She has, according to the judgment, 14 days to pay, otherwise the costs of the case will be increased.

The High Court has also previously dealt with the part of the case that concerned whether the investigation was in line with "good legal practice". The High Court did not think so (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/hoejesteret-advokat-broed-med-god-advokatskik-i-tv-2-undersoegelse). In this connection, Yvonne Frederiksen received a fine of 20,000 Danish crowns.

Yvonne Frederiksen did not provide Jes Dorph with sufficient information about which specific actions he was accused of, and did not make sufficient clear about why she believed there was a valid reason for dismissal.

As a rule, lawyers cannot be held responsible for a third party as a result of a lawyer investigation, unless there are special circumstances.

It has been the case in this case, concludes the court.

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Episodes in 2001 and 2003

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The lawyer investigation had at the time the intention to uncover harassment cases and the culture at TV2.

While the investigation was being carried out, Yvonne Frederiksen received reports from two former journalist trainees at TV2, who reported on episodes with Jes Dorph, which took place in 2001 and 2003.

Yvonne Frederiksen concluded on the basis of the investigation that there was a valid reason for firing Jes Dorph.

According to the ruling from the High Court, there were no objective or time-specific evidence for the episodes, and the explanations given were not in agreement. Furthermore, the court believes that the lawyer should have conducted more interviews with the one informant and with Jes Dorph.

The lawyer did not explain sufficiently in the judgment what specific actions Jes Dorph had taken in 2001 and 2003, and the TV host therefore did not "have a reasonable opportunity to defend himself".

The law firm Norrbom Vinding, which Yvonne Frederiksen is employed by, states in a written comment that they are surprised by the judgment.

- Norrbom Vinding has always been of the opinion that there was no basis for this lawsuit, and a unanimous Østre Landsret ruled earlier this year a clear acquittal.

- The High Court is unfortunately not unanimous with the landsrett. That is unfortunate news, and the High Court's judgment will be adjusted to in future lawyer investigations, it states.

In March, Østre Landsret (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/jes-dorph-taber-erstatningssag-mod-advokat-bag-metoo-undersoegelse) ruled in Yvonne Frederiksen's favor.

Since the case has been handled by the High Court, there is no possibility for her to appeal.

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Errors were the cause of unemployment until 2023

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To win the case, Yvonne Frederiksen had to prove that there was no connection between the errors she made in connection with the lawyer investigation, and the damages that Jes Dorph has suffered as a result of the dismissal.

The judgment establishes that her errors in the conduct of the investigation were the cause of Jes Dorph being unemployed until 2023. The errors were also the cause of his costs for psychologists and psychotherapist treatment and the circumstances that justify his claim for "pain and suffering".

To BT (https://www.bt.dk/danske-kendte/jes-dorph-deler-foerste-ord-efter-dom-foerst-skal-jeg-laese-dommen-igennem-med-min-advokat) says Jes Dorph-Petersen that he has no comments on the case at the moment and first must read the judgment with his lawyer.

DR News is trying to get a comment from Jes Dorph, Yvonne Frederiksen and from TV2.

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