We were rooting for her, too.
Suppose (most likely) you kept up with the courtroom drama between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard. In that case, you’re familiar with Camille Vasquez, a defamation litigator who represented Depp.
With the six-week defamation trial being fully televised, Vasquez’s fierce cross-examinations of Heard made her the face of the 59-year-old’s legal team.
RELATED READ: The Verdict: Johnny Depp Wins The Defamation Trial Against Amber Heard—Here’s How Much He’s Awarded
After less than a week since the Pirates of the Caribbean actor won the lawsuit, Vasquez was promoted to partner of law firm Brown Rudnick. Typically, law firms name partners by the end of each fiscal year.
However, Vasquez’s performance motivated the firm bend policy.
Moving up
“Camille’s performance during the Johnny Depp trial proved to the world that she was ready to take this next step now. We are incredibly proud of her and look forward to what she will accomplish as our newest partner.” Brown Rudnick chairman William Baldiga said in a statement.
We are pleased to announce that Camille Vasquez has been elevated to partner. She was a key member of the litigation team that won a jury verdict last week for actor #JohnnyDepp in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Full announcement here: https://t.co/EYPjkCCqFy pic.twitter.com/LqE5Z3Ig7B
— Brown Rudnick (@BrownRudnickLLP) June 7, 2022
The 37-year-old became a viral internet sensation when clips of her questioning Heard were shared online. In one example, Vasquez asked the actress if the 7 million dollar divorce settlement was donated to charity as she promised.
Instead, Heard avoided answering directly and mentioned that she pledged the money to various charities. In response, Vasquez said, “Miss Heard, respectfully, that’s not my question.”
Major player
Brown Rudnick credits Vasquez as a vital member of the litigation case that won Depp $15 million in damages. (The judge reduced it to $10.35 million to follow Virginia’s state limit on punitive damages).
Before taking on Depp’s case, Vasquez has been an associate at Brown Rudnick’s Orange County office since 2018. As per the firm, she has over a decade of experience as a trial lawyer in high-stakes disputes, including defamation cases, contract disputes, business-related torts, and employment-related claims.
Vasquez earned her undergraduate degree in communication and political science at the University of Southern California. From 2007 to 2010, she became a Juris Doctor at Southwestern Law School.
War for talent
With the highly publicized win, Vasquez must have caught the attention of other large firms.
“In a situation like this, there is absolutely a war for talent, and I’m sure it was very much a retention measure for Ms. Vasquez,” Beth Cavagnolo of law firm consultancy Vertex Advisors told Reuters.
“I am delighted that Brown Rudnick has given me its full vote of confidence by having me join the partnership,” Vasquez said in a statement.
“I’m proud of the uniquely talented team I’ve had the privilege to lead, which exemplified teamwork and collaboration. I look forward to continuing to represent Brown Rudnick’s culture of excellence.”
Banner photo from @camillevasquezarchive on Instagram.
