Thursday 22 September 2022 10:29 PM Johnny Depp and libel lawyer girlfriend appeared close during Virginia ... trends now
The romance between Johnny Depp and his new lawyer girlfriend appeared to be going strong even as far back as April, during his explosive defamation trial in Virginia, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show.
The actor, 59, and attorney Joelle Rich were snapped walking closely alongside each other as they left the Fairfax County Courthouse at the end of trial proceedings, with Depp at times placing his hand on her back in a caring gesture.
The two could also be seen leaving court together in his SUV daily.
The romance between Johnny Depp and his new lawyer girlfriend appeared to be going strong even as far back as April, during his explosive defamation trial in Virginia , exclusive DailyMail.com photos show
Depp has been reported to be in a 'serious' relationship with the wealthy London-based lawyer who represented him in one of his libel battles, it has been reported.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star is said to be dating Joelle Rich, 37, who is a partner in the international law firm Schillings whose clients include Prince Harry and wife Meghan.
The mother-of-two is said to be separated from her financier husband Jonathan Rich and the couple are thought to be getting divorced.
US celebrity and entertainment magazine Us Weekly quoted an insider as describing the relationship between Ms Rich and Depp, 59, as 'serious'.
The source told the magazine: 'Their chemistry is off the charts'. The insider added: 'It's serious between them. They are the real deal.'
Ms Rich represented the actor in his ill-fated libel battle against the Sun at London's High Court in July 2020 after the newspaper branded him a 'wife beater' in an article.
The article had stated there was 'overwhelming evidence' that Depp had engaged in acts of domestic violence while married to Amber Heard.
Edward Scissorhands star Depp lost his battle after a High Court judge, sitting without a jury, ruled that Ms Heard's evidence of abuse she suffered was 'substantially true'.
Johnny Depp is reportedly in a 'serious' relationship with London-based attorney Joelle Rich, who represented him in his unsuccessful 2020 libel trial against British newspaper The Sun. They are pictured together at his recent defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard, with a source claiming that Rich attended the case to offer 'support' to the actor
Joelle Rich (right) on her wedding day, when she married her husband Jonathan. It is understood the couple are currently going through a divorce
The reports about Rich and Depp's alleged romance come after he faced months of furious speculation that he was dating another attorney - Camille Vasquez (pictured), who was part of the legal team who represented him in his recent defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard
Johnny Depp pictured with Ms Rich during the London libel court battle against the Sun in July 2020
Rich, who is a partner at Schillings, which also represents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, is reportedly going through a divorce from her husband, Jonathan (pictured), with whom she shares two children
Ms Rich was already married to her husband when she worked with Depp on his 2020 trial in London
The verdict was slammed at the time by Depp's lawyers who described it as 'perverse' and 'bewildering'.
Ms Rich was not part of Depp's legal team in his separate defamation battle against Ms Heard in the United States which he won earlier this year in Fairfax, Virginia.
But Us Weekly reported that Ms Rich was present in the Virginia courtroom to provide 'support' for Oscar-nominated Depp.
Ms Rich who was born Joelle Rashti is the daughter of wealthy property magnates and grew up in the leafy north London suburb of Mill Hill.
She attended the nearby North London Collegiate School, an independent day school for girls which has a number of famous ex-pupils including Esther Rantzen and Rachel Weisz.
The school in Edgware currently has fees of £22,308 ($25,146) per year.
Ms Rich went to Birmingham University in 2003, where she studied law and is thought to have met her future husband Jonathan Rich.
She took a further legal qualification in 2006 after graduating, before starting as a trainee solicitor - and then qualifying - with global legal giant DLA Piper in London where she focused on intellectual property, media, and sport litigation.
Ms Rich joined leading
