Johnny Depp legal team: All about his lawyers amid ongoing defamation trial with Amber Heard

Actor Johnny Depp's defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard has made shocking public revelations about the duo's personal life.

Depp and Heard tied the knot in 2015 but got officially separated in 2017. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor filed a defamation lawsuit against Heard because of an op-ed she penned for The Washington Post in 2018. Heard did not name Depp in it but described herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse victims." Depp is seeking damages for $50 million (£38.3 million).

Amber Heard has filed a countersuit against Depp, accusing him of a "smear campaign" against her and characterizing the lawsuit against her as "abuse and harassment." She has requested compensation of $100 million.

Since the infamous defamation lawsuit began in early April, Johnny Depp's legal team has been providing evidence to show that it was Depp who Amber Heard abused.

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All about Johnny Depp's lawyers representing him during his infamous defamation lawsuit

High-profile lawyers from Brown Rudnick represent Depp. The case is being presided by Judge Penney Azcarate.

Judge Azcarate has implemented a variety of access limits to attempt to maintain decorum in her hearing in light of the high-profile case in which Elon Musk, James Franco, and Paul Bettany may testify.

Neither Depp nor Heard can pose for pictures or sign autographs in the courthouse or on the courthouse grounds.

Ben Chew

Attorney Ben Chew represents Depp in the lawsuit and is also a partner at Brown Rudnick.

In 2017, Depp sued his business managers at The Management Group. According to reports, Chew was allegedly on his way out of his law firm at the time and was replaced by a different legal team ahead of trial. The case ended up in a settlement.

Chew described Johnny Depp as "one of the most talented actors in Hollywood" and "a respected artist whose name was associated with box office success" during opening comments on his client's current case.

"Today, his name is associated with a lie, a false statement uttered by his ex-wife," Chew said, adding that in her 2018 op-ed, Heard "painted herself as the innocent victim of abuse."

Chew further said that the evidence will show that Heard's statements were false, adding that "Hollywood studios" do not want to face backlash for hiring an actor with a history of domestic abuse, which will destroy Depp's reputation.

Apart from defending Johnny Depp in the lawsuit against Heard, Chew's bio claims that he's "successfully prosecuted breach of fiduciary cases" for Depp and has also represented Cher in various instances.

According to his bio on the firm's website, Chew is an experienced attorney member of the "invitation-only" Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

He's been involved in defamation, breach of contract and fiduciary duty, government contracts, and class lawsuits, including one that ended in a $1.3 billion settlement.

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Camille Vasquez

Vasquez, like Chew, is a Brown Rudnick associate. According to her bio, she worked as an attorney for a Los Angeles-based firm before joining the current firm.

She has "experience litigating contract disputes, business-related torts, and employment-related claims" and is well-versed in "plaintiff-side defamation litigation."

Vasquez said that Heard "manipulated" Depp and "berated" him during her opening comments. During disagreements with Heard, Depp would hide. She elaborated, saying,

"Mr. Depp will go to his grave knowing that whatever he does, there will always be people who believe he abused a woman."

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The Depp v Heard trial is currently underway. While these are the lawyers now representing Depp, his legal team may change composition based on the needs of the hour.