Johnny Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, has been inundated with offers from Hollywood and is at the center of an ongoing bidding war between law firms who want her on their team after her winning performance in the actor’s trial, sources told the Post.
The tough-guy lawyer, 37, became a star in her own right during the lengthy libel trial – during which she argued with Amber Heard during intense and at times vicious cross-examination, becoming a sweetheart among Depp fans.
Industry sources say doors are opening for Vasquez – it’s just a matter of which one she chooses.
“Talent agents surround Camille because they recognize that she is the unicorn – a smart, savvy and poised lawyer whose impactful performance during the trial propelled her to a rare level of visibility,” a source said. “And the fact that she’s a woman of color is an added bonus.”
Vasquez and his colleagues managed to convince the jury that Heard defamed Depp on the three counts brought against the actress for writing in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed that she was “a public figure representing domestic violence ”.
Since the trial closed on Wednesday, Vasquez has already received offers from several traditional television networks and cable channels, sources told The Post.
“Camille is unquestionably a terrific voice to weigh in on legal issues and networks are understandably eager to speak with her about on-air opportunities,” said a former network executive familiar with the deals.
Although she led the plaintiff’s case with attorney Ben Chew, Vasquez remains associated with high-profile law firm Brown Rudnick, although celebrity attorney Judd Burstein guessed “she will soon be associated” .
“No company would allow her to play a role in a big lawsuit like this if she wasn’t on the partner trail,” said Burstein, who represents Nicki Minaj. “There are two factors that come into play in becoming a partner: your quality as a lawyer and your ability to attract clients. She can probably go anywhere and get a good deal for herself.
A legal source confirmed what Burstein suspected.
“The legal community is abuzz with firms battling to be the highest bidder for Camille to join their team,” the source said. “He’s a shark and his performance at the trial showed that.”
A female partner at a high-profile law firm in Los Angeles, a few years older than Vasquez, said she was “very surprised to see that she was a partner” given what she handled during of the Depp trial.
“Most of the time, associates aren’t given the type of roles they’ve been given – doing crosses and closings, that’s pretty unprecedented,” the source said.
Comparing Vasquez to Heard’s attorney, Elaine Bredehoft, the source said: ‘Camille’s trial skills were much more effective than Elaine Bredehoft to a point where I almost felt bad for Elaine where she was off- lawyer by a partner like that.
“I’m shocked that she wasn’t promoted before the trial and I would be completely stunned if she wasn’t promoted now,” the source added.
Brown Rudnick told the Post that he’s “thrilled that so many people see what we’ve known for years: that Camille Vasquez is a star.”
“We have always believed that she has what it takes to succeed on this stage. This is why she is a key member of the test team and has a bright future with us,” the company added.
Depp’s brass became so popular that a fan got a tattoo of the outline of Vasquez’s wavy hair and costume, with the word “objection” underneath.
Fans also speculated that Vasquez might be dating Depp, a rumor that was quickly quashed by both teams and further thrashed after she was photographed post-trial with boyfriend Edward Owen.
Vasquez, who still works for Depp, declined to comment. A representative for Depp had no comment.
The actor will be back in court in July after film crew member Gregg Brooks accused him of assault. Brown Rudnick is representing him in the case.
