Amber Heard and Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, the lead attorney for Heard in the trail over Johnny Depp's $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard (and Heard's $100 million defamation countersuit), are parting ways as Heard heads to an appellate court to appeal her loss in the aforementioned defamation trial.
The Aquaman star announced that she has hired famed First Amendment lawyers David L. Axelrod and Jay Ward Brown of Ballard Spahr to be her new lead attorneys for the appeals process, while Ben Rottenborn, Bredehoft's original co-counsel in the initial trial, will continue as co-counsel in this case, as well.
Back in June, Heard's ex-husband generally won a substantial victory against Heard, as a Virginian jury ruled that Heard had defamed Depp by writing about being a survivor of domestic abuse in a 2018 editorial for the Washington Post. Heard also won one of her three counts alleging Depp defamed her, as well, but while Depp's damages amounted to more than $10 million, Heard's were only $2 million. After an attempt to garner a mistrial failed, Heard announced plans to appeal the decision.
A spokesperson for Heard released a statement about the change in attorneys, stating, "When it comes to protecting the fundamental right of Freedom of Speech, we look at the jury's decision — to paraphrase a famous quote — not 'as the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning.' A different court warrants different representation, particularly as so much new evidence is now coming to light,"
Bredhoft also released a statement of her own, noting, "This is the perfect time to pass the baton. I have pledged to Amber and her appellate team my complete cooperation and assistance as they move forward on a path towards success."
Axelrod and Brown were the lawyers who successfully defended the New York Times earlier this year in Palin v. The New York Times Company, earning a motion to dismiss based on a defamation lawsuit filed by former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin against the famous newspaper. Axelrod and Brown released a statement, stating, "We welcome the opportunity to represent Ms. Heard in this appeal as it is a case with important First Amendment implications for every American. We're confident the appellate court will apply the law properly without deference to popularity, reverse the judgment against Ms. Heard, and reaffirm the fundamental principles of Freedom of Speech."
Source: Angenette Levy on Twitter