Amber Heard loses her legal counsel amid Johnny Depp’s $50 million defamation case against her.
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp finalized their divorce in 2016. However, they are still embroiled in a legal battle. Just recently, Heard’s legal counsel withdrew from Depp’s defamation case against her.
Amber Heard and her legal counsel parted ways
The Blast obtained a copy of the new legal documents filed Amber Heard’s legal team asking the judge to approve her lawyers from dropping out of the case.
Heard reportedly endorsed the decision and will have a Virginia attorney to lead her case moving forward.
“The undersigned moves for entry of an order permitting Robert Kaplan, John Quinn, Julie Fink, Davida Brook to withdraw as counsel of record for Defendant Amber Laura Heard,” the document read.
“In addition to the undersigned, who is remaining in this matter as counsel of record to Ms. Heard, Ms. Heard has retained the services of another trial counsel licensed in Virginia, Elaine Bredehof. All Withdrawing Counsel are currently admitted pro hac vice. Ms. Heard will still be represented by the undersigned Virginia counsel.”
Johnny Depp’s lawyer reacted to Amber’s change in counsel
Johnny Depp’s lawyer believed that there was something deeper why Amber Heard lost her original legal counsel.
One of the lawyers who decided to withdraw was Roberta Kaplan, Time’s Up co-founder. Time’s Up is a movement campaigning against sexual harassment.
“For years, #TimesUp and others inexplicably hitched their wagons to Amber Heard’s abuse hoax,” Depp’s lawyer attorney Adam Waldman said.
“Ms. Heard’s lawyers, one of whom co-founded the #TimesUp Legal Defense Fund, have now apparently unhitched from Ms Heard’s long-disproven frauds. We intend to discover why.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFWVoEHcEjw&t=4s
Kaplan believes in Heard
Meanwhile, Roberta Kaplan still supported Amber Heard even after she withdrew from the case.
According to Kaplan’s spokesperson, they believed in Heard. However, they decided to drop the case and withdraw due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore, Kaplan’s representative said that “travel and logistics have become more costly.” Thus, they understand the decision to move the case to a local, Virginia-based trial counsel.
Amber’s PA supported Johnny
Meanwhile, Amber Heard’s former PA Kate James made a statement regarding Johnny Depp’s case against the Aquaman actress. Surprisingly, she sided with Depp.
According to James, Heard was abusive as an employer.
In addition, she used to call Depp “old man” and made disparaging comments about the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
Also, Depp’s exes supported him and dismissed Heard’s abusive claims. According to Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder, he was never violent with them.
In fact, contrary to Heard’s claim, he was protective and loving.
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