Amber Heard has dropped attorney Elaine Bredehoft in favor of some fresh faces.
The actress has enlisted the help of lawyers David L. Axelrod and Jay Ward Brown ahead of her appeal in the defamation case between herself and ex-husband Johnny Depp. She is keeping attorney Benjamin Rottenborn on the team, opting only to dump Bredehoft.
Previously, the jury found Heard liable for all three claims that Depp made against her. He was only found liable for one of the claims Heard made against him. As a result, she was ordered to pay more than $10 million to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.
Both new lawyers successfully defended the New York Times in a recent case filed against the newspaper by former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential nominee-turned-House candidate Sarah Palin.
“Jay has been representing journalists, news organizations, documentary filmmakers, and other speakers in First Amendment cases for 30 years. David is a former federal prosecutor and first-chair trial lawyer who represents companies and individuals in high-stakes civil litigation,” according to a press release.
The team of lawyers hails from law firm Ballard Spahr.
“We welcome the opportunity to represent Ms. Heard in this appeal as it is a case with important First Amendment implications for every American,” they said of the new gig. “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.”
Bredehoft simply said, “This is the perfect time to pass the baton,” and, “I have pledged to Amber and her appellate team my complete cooperation and assistance as they move forward on a path towards success.”
It’s unclear exactly why Bredehoft has departed from the team.
The fiery celebrity defamation battle quickly became social media fodder, with fans becoming deeply invested. Bredehoft was bashed several times by cutthroat Johnny Depp fans. In one notable moment, the attorney displayed a makeup compact to the jury, which both she and Heard claimed was used to disguise bruises from Depp’s abuse during their tumultuous relationship. Social media sleuths quickly did their research, finding that the compact in question was only released after the relationship had ended.
The makeup company, Milani Cosmetics, even crafted a video on TikTok, confirming that the product did not launch in time to be used during the relationship.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Depp has also filed to appeal the one count he was found liable for, with his lawyer claiming that he did it as a result of Heard’s appeal.
