'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Amber Heard's former attorneys Michele Mulrooney and Eric George recently took the stand at the Fairfax County Court to testify in Heard’s ongoing defamation trial against her ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Both lawyers appeared in court via video deposition. While Mulrooney testified about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s post-nuptial agreement, Eric George addressed Heard’s infamous 2018 Washington Post op-ed.
Johnny Depp filed a $50 million lawsuit against Amber Heard after she called herself a “domestic abuse survivor” in the Washington Post op-ed. Although the Pirates of the Caribbean star was not directly named in the article, his legal team claimed that it tarnished his public image and negatively impacted his career.
Heard then countersued Depp for $100 million. She claimed in her testimony that the actor abused her on multiple occasions during their relationship and marriage.
Everything to know about Michele Mulrooney
Michele Mulrooney is a professional lawyer and partner of Los Angeles-based Willkie’s Private Clients Group. She also serves as the Chair of the company. According to her official bio, she practices estate planning for people with high net worth, including actors, directors, producers, writers, artists, sports personalities, business owners, executives, and real estate investors.
She has significant experience in all areas of sophisticated estate planning, including the protection and preservation of wealth for generations of families, post-death administration of estates and trusts, establishing and advising conservatorships and guardianships, establishing and advising private foundations, cross-border planning for multinational clients, and insurance issues.
Mulrooney is also known for her estate planning work for owners of both private and public companies, including but not limited to recapitalizations, buy-sell agreements between shareholders and partners, sales to third parties, and intra-family transfers.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the attorney also consults on prenuptial agreements and divorces. She often collaborates with individuals from the entertainment industry and offers them counseling on general business and personal matters.
Mulrooney has reportedly served as an advisor to family law counsel in several complex divorce situations and has also shown her prowess as a trustee and executor of many of her clients' trusts and estates.
Everything to know about Eric George
Eric George is a well-known attorney, counselor, civil litigator, and trial lawyer. He is associated with Ellis George Cipollone LLP and practices a wide range of complex and often high-profile disputes. According to his official bio, George is experienced in presenting oral arguments before the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the California Court of Appeals.
Prior to joining the firm, the lawyer served as Counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor Pete Wilson. He also worked as a law clerk for federal Judge D. Lowell Jensen of the Northern District of California.
George has been regularly featured in the Daily Journey as a California Top 100 Attorney and as a Southern California “Super Lawyer.” He has also been named one of the Top 100 Power Lawyers by the Hollywood Reporter. Lawdragon dubbed him one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America.
The lawyer is a fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers and has served on several federal and state judicial selection committees. He is also a member of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ Advisory Committee.
George and his partners reportedly co-author updates for the practice book California Business Litigation, published by the California Continuing Education of the Bar every year.
A look into Michele Mulrooney and Eric George’s testimony in the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial
Michele Mulrooney and Eric George, Amber Heard’s former lawyers, recently testified in her defamation trial against Johnny Depp.
During her testimony, Mulrooney claimed that an inebriated Depp hurled slurs at her when he fired her from working on the couple's post-nuptial agreement. Mulrooney said that Depp was angry about the legal agreement and suddenly asked her to end the same:
“My recollection is that he was very mean. He called me names. And then he fired me on behalf of Amber. He called me a b***h... I thought he was under the influence. His voice was slurred.”
The lawyer said that Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's post-nuptial agreement would have allowed the former couple to split their assets equally.
Meanwhile, Eric George testified that Amber Heard followed his legal advice when she drafted her 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece, calling herself a victim of domestic abuse.
George mentioned that he reviewed the op-ed to clarify that there were no defamatory statements in the story and attempted to minimize the possibility of a lawsuit against her. He also said that Amber Heard obliged to “all” his legal advice and instructions about the article to have it ready for publication.
