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Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: How some of Britain’s top legal minds did battle in High Court showdown

As megastar Depp waved to his crowds of fans from the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice each day, the leader of his expensively-assembled legal team, David Sherborne, was never far behind.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard arriving at the High Court on Tuesday

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Tristan KirkCrime Correspondent

2 November 2020

The High Court showdown between Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard saw some of Britain’s top legal minds do battle over the course of 16 action-packed days this summer.

As megastar Depp waved to his crowds of fans from the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice each day, the leader of his expensively-assembled legal team, David Sherborne, was never far behind.

Sherborne is no stranger to the spotlight, with a legacy of headline-grabbing legal wins and a rostrum of celebrity clients including the Duchess of Sussex, Depp’s ex Kate Moss, and Sir Elton John.

Sherborne – set to do battle for Coleen Rooney in the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial and reportedly with Hugh Grant and Harry Styles on speed-dial – is known for his jovial style in and out of court, as well as his ever-present tan and immaculately coiffed hair.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at High Court: July 2020

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It was Sherborne, a libel specialist, who delivered the final flourish of Depp’s case, arguing the star had “lost everything” in the wake of Heard’s explosive domestic violence claims.

But it was a criminal barrister, Eleanor Laws QC, who was charged with quizzing the Aquaman star on the details of the abuse allegation on which the case rested.

Less flashy than Sherborne, Laws is nonetheless one of the country’s top defence barristers who specialised in representing “high profile individuals in the entertainment industry, sports, and politics” to try to stop criminal charges being brought against them.

She recently secured an acquittal on a sexual assault charge against an aide to former MP Michael Fallon, and has also been involved in the cases of footballer Ched Evans and disgraced sports coach Barry Bennell.

Watching from the sidelines was Depp’s American lawyer Adam Waldman, who had to be warned about his enthusiastic Twitter commentary on the case when accused of making a veiled threat about a witness.

Fighting for The Sun was media law expert Adam Wolanski QC and Sasha Wass QC, a criminal barrister in her first libel trial as went head-to-head with Depp over the course of a week.

A leader in her field, it was Wass who brought disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris to justice by exposing his ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character.

Amber Heard was the star witness in the closing stages of the titanic legal battle, but was also ever-present during the trial as intimate details of her volatile marriage came spilling out.

She was accompanied to court each day by sister Whitney, girlfriend Bianca Butti, as well as Jennifer Robinson, her barrister from human rights chambers Doughty Street who is current locked in the battle to free Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

The celebrity supporting acts – Depp’s exes Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis, actors James Franco and Paul Bettany, and billionaire Elon Musk – did not grace the court in the end, leaving the stage empty for the top legal minds to seize the limelight.

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Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: How some of Britain’s top legal minds did battle in High Court showdown

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard at High Court: July 2020

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