Johnny Depp has a new woman in his life.
The actor is dating attorney Joelle Rich, who previously represented him during his U.K. libel case, a source confirms to PEOPLE.
“They are dating but it’s not serious,” the source says.
The two originally worked together during his 2020 U.K. libel trial, when the actor sued The Sun for calling him a “wife-beater.” The court upheld the outlet’s claims as being “substantially true” (and his ex-wife Amber Heard testified to back up the claims). In March 2021, his attempt to overturn the decision was overruled.
Rich was not on Depp’s legal team for his subsequent Virginia defamation trial against Heard.
From her background as a lawyer to how she has supported Depp since his 2020 trial, here’s everything to know about Joelle Rich.
She’s married but estranged from her husband
A source confirms to PEOPLE that while Depp’s new girlfriend is married, she is currently estranged from her husband.
She’s a mom
Additionally, Us Weekly (who first broke the story) reports that Rich is a mom, sharing two children with her estranged husband. She shares that in common with Depp, who has two children of his own, daughter Lily-Rose Depp and son Jack Depp, whom he shares with ex Vanessa Paradis.
She showed up to support Johnny Depp during his recent trial
Though Rich was not on Depp’s legal team for the Virginia defamation trial against Heard earlier this year, she did show up to support him, attending several proceedings inside the courtroom. Rich was also spotted hugging Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez inside the courtroom on May 16 and later was seen exiting the courthouse with Depp and his team on May 19.
She’s based in the U.K.
Rich is based in London, where she is a partner at the international law firm Schillings, per her LinkedIn. According to her bio on the company website, Rich “helps individuals and families in the public eye protect their privacy and reputations” and has “expertise in libel, privacy and copyright disputes.” She “works to defend [clients’] reputations against false and defamatory allegations in print, online and on social media.”
She graduated from the University of Birmingham
Before working at Schillings, Rich studied at the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England from 2003 to 2006, earning a degree in law. She later went BPP Law School in London from 2006 to 2007, where she studied legal practice course, per her LinkedIn.
She previously represented Meghan Markle
Depp isn’t the only big name Rich has represented. Her firm previously represented Meghan Markle in a case against the publishers of the Mail on Sunday in 2021.
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