Johnny Depp Is No Longer Dating Joelle Rich, a Lawyer from His U.K. Trial

Mar. 15, 2025

Johnny DeppandJoelle Rich, a lawyer who represented him in his U.K. libel lawsuit, are no longer seeing each other, PEOPLE confirms.

Back in September, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that the actor, 59, and the London lawyerwere “dating, but it’s not serious.”

Rich was on Depp’s legal team during hislibel case againstThe Sun, which he lost in November 2020. He sued the U.K. newspaper for calling him a “wife-beater,” but the court upheld the outlet’s claims as being “substantially true” and his ex-wifeAmber Heardtestified to back up the claims. In March 2021, his attempt tooverturn the decision was overruled.

Joelle Rich and Johnny Depp on May 3, 2022.Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty

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While she didn’t officially represent him during the trial, Rich was stillpresent for some of the Virginia proceedingsto show support in the courtroom.

She was photographed smiling while walking ahead of the actor on May 2, and she was pictured looking at something on his phone during a break outside the courtroom the following day. Rich also hugged Depp’s attorneyCamille Vasquezinside the courtroom on May 16 and later was seen exiting the courthouse with Depp and his team on May 19.

Johnny Depp; Joelle Rich.Getty; Shutterstock

According to herbio, 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.”

RELATED VIDEO: Kate Moss Explains Why She Testified in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial: ‘I Had to Say the Truth’

After the June 1 verdict, Depp said the “best is yet to come” for him, and added that the jury “gave me my life back.” He also thanked his “diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth.”

At the time, Heard called the verdict a setback for women: “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence and sway of my ex-husband. I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”

source: people.com