Joni Evans | 06/25/2008 1:10 pm

Christie Brinkley Chose the Right Divorce Lawyer

Peter Cook and Christie Brinkley © AP

Which is worse: Finding out that your husband cheated on you with his 18-year-old employee, or finding out that he paid this young mistress nearly half-a-million dollars to keep mum?

Christie Brinkley’s soon-to-be ex, Peter Cook, paid his former teenage mistress (and employee) $300,000 in hush money, according to the New York Post. Brinkley’s lawyer told wowOwow.com that this latest allegation is just more fuel for the fire.

This morning, I asked Bob Cohen, Christie Brinkley’s divorce lawyer, about the pay-off revelation in the New York Post and he said, "The evidence just keeps mounting about Mr. Peter Cook’s deceitfulness."

All I know is this: Christie Brinkley chose the right lawyer. I know … he was my lawyer in the most horrible, long (seven years) divorce in history (only two years shorter than the nine-year marriage). He may hate this, but I call Bob Cohen "my pet Doberman." Christie has a winner.

Go get him, Bob.

Last week, a judge ordered the Brinkley vs. Cook divorce trial to be open to the public. We’ll be watching this trial and keeping you abreast of the latest details. Stay tuned.

Read more about: Christie Brinkley, Divorce, Law, Peter Cook, Relationships

76 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Actually, it’s likely that if a state allows a product liability settlement to be sealed, divorce settlements can be sealed as well. Laws dealing with sealing of records generally apply to all settlements. The reason that the Brinkley/Cook divorce differs is that it is a straight lawsuit [so far], not a settlement. If they were to reach an agreement right now, without using court resources and time, such settlement could probably be sealed. Further, corporations are not automatically allowed to seal settlement agreements—a judge generally has to approve the terms of the settlement agreement and is charged with weighing the public benefit gained by keeping the record open vs. the parties’ desire to seal it.

By M H on 06/30/2008 4:10 pm

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Nothing more precious than a GREAT divorce attorney…mine was a very quiet (appeared harmless) shark of the highest order. The favorite part of my divorce? My arrogant ass of a husband decided he would REPRESENT HIMSELF! No, he had no legal training…AND…he told everyone, including the Judge, that he didn’t take the proceedings seriously, because he knew I could never make it on my own and would come back to him. As a result of his delusion, he signed a divorce agreement that boggled the Judge’s mind. Basically, he got out with his penis and his soul, neither of which was worth having…I got everything (well, the house and car were already mine alone..) he even had to pay vet care for the dogs for five years, alimony for fifteen, and upkeep on the house for five years. He just KNEW I would crawl back…ummm…why would I? I HAD everything I needed, as well as a career in Real Estate that was very lucrative. Ah, that arrogance…it really bit him in the ass.

By J B on 06/25/2008 4:02 pm

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Sorry, J B, but I found this hilarious–––getting out with his sorry penis and his soul––what a dummy and what a smart woman you are. I’m curious––––did that experience jade you in terms of getting involved again?

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 06/25/2008 5:51 pm

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Oh HELL YES!! I was single for ten years after my divorce. I had a couple of relationships, but I had built such a “wall” around myself, no one was getting in. BIG issues with control etc. as my ex was incredibly controlling. How sensitive was I? I once put a man out of my truck on the side of the road because he reached over and turned the stereo down while my favorite song was playing. Not kidding! Pulled over and said “Get Out…!” He did. I was just hyper sensitive to anything that smacked of control. Took all those years and a lot of “self work” to get myself leveled out again. Oh, and it helped that I was rewarded with the perfect (at least in my eyes) man…I believe he is my prize for living with an ass for fifteen years!

By J B on 06/26/2008 9:15 am

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Phylklis, dude’s lucky he didn’t run into Lorena Bobbit! lol

By Frank Peterson on 06/26/2008 4:35 pm

How satisfying! JONI

By Joni Evans on 06/26/2008 4:15 am

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Okay, I admit it. I had to “google” the name Christie Brinkley. Did not know her. Response was model and former wife of Billy Joel. Alright, I know Billy Joel. David Cook - who? I thought that was the name of the guy who just became the last American Idol. Oops - wrong guy. Joni, I am sorry your divorce was a 7 year ceremonious ‘getting rid of the S.O.B.’ But you got rid of him! Now that I am up-to-date, and if that Cook fellow did have an affair with a teenager and then paid her hundreds of thousands to keep quiet, then I think Mr. Cook is about to be burned and deservedly so.

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/25/2008 4:02 pm

Oh, his name is Peter Cook. Okay. I’m cool.

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/25/2008 4:06 pm

Bonnie, She doesn’t have him out of her life. They have little kids, he is in her life forever! Untangling the finances is what takes the time and wisdom. I survived a six year divorce. The last five years were about correcting the mistakes I made during the year after I ran away. Not a good move. Stay put and clean it up. Make him move even if your living on a ranch. No matter how bad it is it can get worse. I feel so sorry for her, it has been twenty two years since my divorce was final and it still hurts. I remember trying to get loose.. It was like he was a ball of sticky tape, or one of those burr’s you get in your sock. I’d think I was done and I’d find him attached somewhere else. Just from what is made public, I’d guess he’s putting up a fight, just can’t or won’t let her escape with her dignity. It is so hard to discpline the man you loved and the father of your children. We weren’t as high profile as they were but were high enough so when I would go out alone someone would recognize me or my name and I’d get to hear war stories. I guess people didn’t understand that we’d been married during the years they were telling me about. I’d go home wondering what else I didn’t know. I look back on our divorce as his six year temper tantrum. Again I feel so sorry for her and her kids.

By beverly linens on 06/25/2008 4:53 pm

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I think we all feel compassion for parents who divorce and especially for the children. . I am not familiar with Joni’s story but she appears so strong and upbeat. When I saw her on the Charlie Rose program, she was “fierce”. Wonderful. Your story is also very heartfelt. It sounds as if you are a “winner” too…. after all the pain and “war stories”. Good for you.

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/25/2008 5:55 pm

Bonnie: I am upbeat…now. That seven year battle was the most painful in my life. I lost my house, my job, my friends, my step-children, my privacy…as I walked out on an abusive (emotionally) relationship. The battle to regain what was rightfully mine took all my faith, the support of my fantastic mother and sister, one girlfriend who was unafraid of my ex-husband’s wrath, and this wonderful divorce lawyer. And faith in the legal system. Of course I didn’t have children and for that I was lucky. (Frankly, not having children is underrated.)

By Joni Evans on 06/26/2008 4:27 am

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That sounds awful—the seven year part. But I wonder if you are so strong and upbeat now in part because you did go through that ordeal? Glad you made it through intact.

By Elizabeth Bennett on 06/26/2008 4:31 pm

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Thank you Joni. And thank goodness for your Mom, sister and girlfriend and also to your attorney, for there are somethings we just cannot accomplish alone

By Bonnie Oliver on 06/26/2008 9:43 pm

Joni - this is the first time that I’ve seen an author of an article interact on the comments thread. Thank you for that - I think it shows respect for all of us.

By Laurel Bowman on 06/26/2008 11:25 pm

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If I’m not mistaken there are young children involved and it’s obvious that Mr. Cook cares not one whit about them- unless he counts his teen mistress as one of the kids. Mr. Nice Guy is stacking up some seriously bad karma and facing a carload of future grief as soon as his current romance sours. Christie needs a great divorce lawyer to deal with her sleazy ex. Bob Cohen sounds like the right man for the job. (Just a small point - $300,000 is not “nearly half-a-million dollars”…not in my territory. The $200,000 in between is quite a lot of dough.)

By Maurine H on 06/25/2008 4:29 pm