Real question: if a powerful man abused, harassed or assaulted you, would you go to Gloria Allred for help? Allred is well-known for throwing together press conferences with new clients, almost always women, to publicly accuse some powerful man of something terrible. Allred gets attention and media sympathy for her clients, absolutely. But is she the smart choice for every victimized woman? I really don’t know. But Amber Heard wanted to listen to what Gloria Allred had to say. According to People, Amber had a consultation with Allred last Friday.
Amber Heard has had a “consultation” with renowned feminist lawyer lawyer Gloria Allred’s California firm Allred Maroko Goldberg, a source tells PEOPLE. Heard, the source says, had a four-hour meeting with the firm in Los Angeles on Friday amid her ongoing acrimonious divorce from husband Johnny Depp, whom she alleges continually abused her. In addition to the divorce proceedings, Heard also filed a defamation lawsuit against comedian Doug Stanhope last week after he accused her of blackmailing Depp and lying about the alleged domestic abuse.
Allred, 74, is known for tackling high-profile cases. She represented the pseudonymous plantiff Jane Roe in the landmark abortion-rights case Roe v Wade, Scott Peterson’s girlfriend Amber Frey in the Laci Peterson murder case, and several women who have accused Bill Cosby of sexual abuse. Allred typically works with discrimination and sexual-abuse lawsuits, and sometimes serves as a publicist and advocate for women’s rights.
The way People Magazine framed their article, I guess we’re supposed to think that the consultation was more about Amber’s defamation suit against Doug Stanhope rather than her divorce and possible criminal complaint against Johnny Depp. But really, Allred would probably love to be involved in any way. What’s weird is that I think Amber has great representation already. The way she and her lawyers have already coordinated their attack on Depp will probably be used as a case study for divorces where the estranged husband is an abuser and a douchebag. Heard and her current lawyers were able to change the narrative around the divorce in the course of 48 hours, basically. So… sure, it’s good that Amber is consulting other lawyers but I think she should probably stick to her current peeps. Unless this consultation is basically yet another warning shot. Beware, Team Depp: Amber is fully prepared to have Gloria Allred climb up your asses for YEARS.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I agree, I think Amber already has great representation. Didn’t someone else on this site say that she is represented by the same legal team that represented Hulk Hogan against Gawker? Maybe I’m making that up though, who knows. Anyway, I feel like the meeting with Alldred would be a move to show JD and his team that she is not playing. I mean, you think they’d have gotten that already, but it seems they are so busy trying to protect their privilege that can’t really think. There have been so many shots fired I’m surprised JD and his team aren’t already destroyed by all the holes. Goes to show much people will go to protect Edward Scissorhands, not realising that he is not a real person, but a character played by an actor.
And to be honest, if I had that case, and I needed representation, if I could go to Alldred, I totally totally would. Because of what she represents.
I agree that it was warning to Johnny. The last thing he wants is Alldred making the news talk show rounds on Amber’s behalf.
I actually think that would do more damage to Amber than to Johnny.
Why, Jayna?
wish Gloria Alfred had made the rounds on the women who were sexually assault by a police office. He picked his victims very carefully. Guess she missed that one
You really, really don’t want to connect yourself with Alred
What’s the background? I’m not American, I don’t know anything about her.
Here in LA, she is seen as an ambulance chaser–based on comments and discussions I have had with friends. She loves a camera and doing press conferences.
See PInky’s comment below.
But does she wins her cases?
If you want your case decided by public opinion, you go to GA. .twenty or thirty years ago she was ‘groundbreaking’, but now she’s best known for always looking for a camera and sometimes this muddies the motives
Glorias strength is that she brings cameras to a case and is excellent at leveraging that into a settlement. Her cases rarely move to trial because she has mastered this art. Amber already has cameras though. And if Johhny isnt responding to the attention by offering a sttlement yet then Gloria isnt a strategic addition.
Also some people respond badly to her but then they respond badly to Al Sharpton too and that has stopped him getting positive outcomes for his clients. If you are a nobody facing SGBV injustice and a media cover up, Gloria is a good place to start.
Considering what many of you are saying about this lawyer how harmful it would be to get just a consultation? Maybe because I don’t know all that background I really don’t see how evaluating all her choices is a bad thing. If this lawyer plays well the PR game I can understand how her insight may help Amber even if she doesn’t hire her. But maybe you are all right and I’m just not seeing the credibility issue here.
I call her the Lawyer to the Starf*ckers. Amber has better lawyers already.
I wouldn’t. Not if I want to win the case legally.
To me Allred is synonymous with blackmail : Give me the money or I’ll make it so that people will spit in your face for the rest of your life.
Going to Allred at this point is a bad idea. It would make it seem like she’s seeking publicity, and Amber has said so far that she’s not and that they were trying to keep all this under the radar. I think the smarter, more strategic tactic (and let’s be honest, at this point, both sides are strategizing), would be to keep as much as possible in her back pocket and not become the aggressor but remain the aggrieved, responding only to their attacks. She needs to keep some aces in the hole as well, in case this does end up going to court (though I doubt it will, because, as we like to say here, that girl kept all her receipts!).
–TheRealPinky
Allred probably contacted her. She may have even offered legal help at a reduced fee (because she wants the publicity).
Agreed. Alred is a media whore. If the case is high profile, she is like a blood hound. She kinda makes my skin crawl. Her and that other dude, Mark Geragos
She could bring Allred on just to go apesh*t on TV, which is enough sometimes.
I looked into Amber’s lawyer who is representing her on the defamation lawsuit (the one who defended Hulk Hogan vs Gawker) and he is specialized in media and PR. Initially at least she was working with two other lawyers but I guess that, whatever she decides to do, she wanted to have someone who is a specialist in each area, so one for the media dimension of the case and another lawyer to focus on the Domestic Violence allegations.
Whatever she is doing, as I see it, she isn’t playing around and wants to be prepared with best possible team.
I am repeatedly struck by Amber’s intelligence. Saving evidence, contacting the right people. And first and foremost: getting herself the hell out of a violent marriage to someone I believe she genuinely loved and wanted to help.
If you’ve ever seen her interviews, she actually does come across as intelligent and thoughtful. (Sorry Amber fan here haha)
Why would you want Amber Heard to fall into a pit? What’d she do to you? Johnny, yes with snakes at the bottom but her?
Johnny Depp could have also decided to go to Alleed. By consulting with her, Amber has taken that option off the table. Allred would have to conflict out. So even if Team Amber doesn’t add Allred, Team Depp can’t now either. Smart move, actually.
Pretty sure Allred wouldn’t even consider meeting with an alleged woman beater. Oh, wait…she just did.
That is exactly what I suspect this is- smart cookie Amber!
Johnny would never go to Allred. She’s for cocktail waitresses who were mistresses and publicity press conferences and getting a payout.
This isn’t her first Amber. She was counsel for Amber the gf of Scott Peterson in the Laci Peterson murder case. And Robert Blake’s family and anyone associated with the Simpson case. I admire her dedication but dislike her propensity to make the rounds on tv like this is some sort of reality show.
That’s what I always say; meet with every winning high profile lawyer you can when getting divorced because it takes them off the table for the other party. Even if you don’t use them, it’s conflict of interest. Every smart woman should do that when she’s getting divorced before her husband even has the chance because he won’t be able to ever use them.
Holy shit that’s clever. I mean, I’m not even married, but I’ll be remembering that one.
Same @Lucy!
That was my first thought as well. Quite clever. (MeAnn and Eddie did something similar against Brandi I believe)
That would make sense but Johnny Depp already has Laura Wasser, who is no slouch in these high profile divorces.
Consulting with Allred isn’t a genius move. We know her reputation. Going to Allred will only reinforce the Amber Heard golddigger opinions.
Exactly.
Meh. Nothing Amber can do will change the opinion of those who think this is all part of some masterful cash grab–that much has been proven time and time again. I don’t think it would be smart of her to make key decisions concerning her divorce based on public opinion/perception at this point.
@Kitten, but that is precisely Allred’s MO.
Signing Allred isn’t a power move; it smacks of desperation. Bad idea if she wants to be taken seriously, especially after everything is finally resolved.
“especially after everything is finally resolved”, what has been finally resolved?
Nothing yet, but presumably Amber wants some type of career when this is all over. Aligning herself with a shill like Allred doesn’t bode well for her future projects unless she wants to resign herself to the reality/C-level celebrity circuit.
Even though I have those concerns I feel that it is too soon to say how this will play out career wise.
This seems unwise.
Her legal team is doing their job and despite TMZ and other outlets doing PR for Depp, he seems to keep digging himself deeper with his overkill reaction to whatever she says or presents.
Gloria Allred is more interested in press for herself and she gains it by trying to shout over anyone who disagrees with her. It may silence people in frustration, but it doesn’t do a whole lot for your credibility.
Whenever Allred gets involved, my immediate reaction is that it’s a money grab . It’s the same reaction I get whenever Sharpton gets involved . Both well known for inserting themselves in the latest drama for financial gain .
When I hear GA’s name, all I think of is publicity. Specifically, a news conference with a client sniffling at her side.
I’m not a lawyer but I heard that it’s a strategy to get consultation/retain as many lawyers as possible so that the opposition doesn’t get a chance to retain them. Once there’s been a consultation, that same lawyer can’t represent the other side any more.
Yeah but Depp already has already retained one the sharpest divorce lawyers in LA. Whyyyy would he ever think of going to Allred, who’s made a name for herself by representing female victims? That theory makes zero sense. More likely is that this is a media grab.
Because getting a feminist female lawyer whose reputation is built on victims to appear to be consulting for the alleged perpetrator is a major PR coup. It would be span as “even Gloria Allread thinks Amber is a lying liar”.
Allred’s credibility is questionable at best. Depp would be even more of a fool to retain her.
Seriously, Allred? You have a great divorce team. Just get your divorce. Talk about losing credibility and looking desperate for a big payout. That’s what hooking up with Allred is going to do for Amber.
So, I know very little about the legal system, but based on yesterday’s discussion on defamation, wouldn’t Depp have a fairly strong case against Amber if she was making all of this up? If she did, why haven’t they filed that? Definitely on Ambers side of this mess.
When all of this began that was my initial thought about why she was probably being truthful. Logically, you can’t go against someone like Johnny Depp and not have truth and strong proofs on your side, otherwise he has all the power built over 30 years to destroy you.
And that power helps him to still destroy her. I hope it doesn’t but I am not hopeful. Most other sites are not pro Amber but the few that are, the comment section is horrific.
That’s another argument that tells us that she doesn’t have much to gain with any of this, just her pride probably. I can imagine her overcoming all of this but it’s not a given and it will take time and a lot a media mess.
As far as I can recall, Amber herself has made abuse accusations against Johnny only in court filings, which are protected speech (i.e., you can’t sue someone because they said something nasty about you in a sworn statement submitted for a court case). However, if Amber was lying in her sworn statement, and that was proven, she could have criminal charges of perjury filed against her. Basically, if JD were to sue Amber for libel/slander, he would need to demonstrate that she herself said or wrote the defamatory statement outside the context of a court proceeding, that it was false, that it damaged him, and (because he is a public figure) that she acted with “actual malice” (meaning Amber knew the statement was false and acted with a reckless disregard for that fact).
I would think it was maybe just a consult on matters of imperfect victims and powerful men in the court of public opinion. I think Amber’s team is doing great, but I wouldn’t mind picking GA’s brain on the case for 4 hrs. With the side benefit of being yet another sign to Depp that you will burn his f*cking house down.
You never go to Gloria Allred if you want your case taken seriously.
Seriously. This was a poor decision.
I know. It seems to be sending a message to Johnny Depp and his team though. That she’s not playing around and he better take her seriously or she will try to bury him. I don’t know how successful she will be though. While his attorney has released a statement, friends and exes and his team has been hard at work, he, himself, has been extremely quiet. I’m a little bit worried for Amber.
Plus, her already in-place legal counsel would be furious she’s now meeting with someone else, especially Allred.
Yeah I was thinking the same.
AH needs to decide whether she wants to continue her suit (multiple suits) in the ‘court of public opinion’ – where it looks increasingly less likely there can be any resolution; or if there is some, it’s still balanced in JD’s favour. OR if she wants a proper finding in her DV allegations, and a dissolution of her marriage with the appropriate attendant settlement.
As it is she is open to allegations of making this all about PR and media moves. Associating with GA further validates such claims.
Her defamation case against DS is going to be a toughy because, regardless of the content of his piece, he avoided – through a language of distancing – directly defaming her. Moreover, given her poor public image and limited career success prior to the DH ‘essay’ publication, AH will struggle to prove she suffered damages (in a legally recognised sense).
I think she’s been ill-advised to have presented so much of her strategy in the media rather than keep herself strategically sound for the next hearing (and other legal proceedings beyond). Whether you believe she has only done so out of provocation from JD’s team or not, she’s now engaged in a mainly heads he wins, tails she loses cycle. JD on the other hand has been far less transparent about his working strategy. Sometimes it’s better to keep your powder dry.
Typically, if a deal to represent had already been struck with GA, you can be damned sure we’d be hearing GA gearing up the media blitz by now.
Whatever, I think AH needs to be less media focused now and more intent on what she wishes to achieve – if that isn’t all just about media. JD’s team look set to weather the media onslaught, AH can achieve little more in that arena. Court(s) is where it’s at now, and that arena is no longer (hasn’t been for a long time) GA’s battleground forte.
I agree with this, taking the DV allegations(which I completely believe) out I see a very ugly divorce that’s basically going to end in scorched earth for both sides career wise.
That’s exactly what I see as well. No real winners.
I was chucking out some old magazines this morning and I came across an article about Johnny Depp circa his split from Vanessa Paradis, and some of the stuff being claimed about her and her role in the split was literally almost word for word what was claimed about Amber and her role in their split. It was legit spooky.
Yeah, I was reading old stories on this site, sort of sadly nostalgic for the days when I was a Depp fan, and it was 1) really sad to read him talk so lovingly about Vanessa and their perfect life while he was already with Amber, and 2) telling how strategically the PR approach was to throw Vanessa under the bus. She just walked away and didn’t engage, but she had a lot more public respect and sympathy than Heard to play with.
Awful, realising how much of the affection we all had for Depp was media constructed. And a lot of people, it seems, are refusing to accept that or surrender it.
The funny thing is, his supporters keep insisting she’s this proven liar over the dogs thing. Yet he was on record in 2011, a couple of months before he and Vanessa split and two years after starting the affair with Amber Heard, cooing romantically about his “perfect life with Vanessa and the kiddies” and the way it “all works beautifully”. Those are brazen, bare-faced lies to sell his image, about his relationship. Yet somehow the stans insist he never lies, oh no. I imagine most stars lie to sell their images, I won’t say we had a right to know his personal business at all, but the selective memory and sheer hypocrisy and double standards is infuriating.
It sounds like the writer of this article has already tried this case.
I agree, and I wish people realized all this publicity either way isn’t really helping either of them in the long run, and because of the laws in California toward divorce and distribution of assets, it might not even help Amber in the financial settlement. I realize Johnny is most likely guilty of being an abuser, but still the article below is something people should think about. https://movietvtechgeeks.com/seeking-truth-domestic-violence-cases-amber-heard-vs-johnny-depp/ Justice isn’t quick, and people should really let it play out.
Good article. I’m not sure johnny IS guilty. Maybe he is. Maybe he isn’t. Maybe time will tell, maybe it never will. I know one thing…I’ve been abused before. I had goose eggs on my head from bouncing off the dresser and bruises all over my body. And that, my friend was nothing compared to photo’s I have seen of other real abused women. Whatever photo’s Heard has shown, look more like a branch snapping back at you. Not like an iphone hurled. And you know what? I’m betting Heard could take johnny in a one on one. He’s a pretty little dude and she’s healthy.
Mac, I sincerely hope you are not a victim of abuse. It is heinous to experience. And of you, and coming out with a comment like that…just… Seek help. Please. You are so scarily warped in your opinions. There is no shame in counselling. There IS shame in telling someone that their abuse is less valid because it wasn’t as bad as you think it could have been.
And oh my god about the comment that you doubt her because you think she “could take Johnny”. Wow. Wow. Wow. Help. Get it.
I hope they come to some sort of conclusion, either prosecute, divorce and settle, but please go your separate ways as this is really a sad story. Also, this will only be used as an example of how to handle divorce of a wealthy celebrity abuser if she gets a good settlement as that is what qualifies as success in divorce lawyer land. Personally, I would say it is a success for them if she gets what she wants out of it, but am not really sure what she wants. Is it his humiliation and ruining his career, well not a real good reason to hire lawyers but okay PR person would have been cheaper, or is it money – yet to be seen how this plays out, she doesn’t appear to want to prosecute as I think she would have filed a police report by now if she did, but maybe she is just waiting. If it just drags on and hurts his career, it will also unfortunately hurt hers too most likely.
Gloria Allred, what is she going to do that they aren’t already doing, but get publicity for herself.
Exactly. Glad her abuse record is in the open. I know that just because she was abused, she doesn’t deserve abuse. But seriously you can’t cry abusers are monsters when you have been booked for abuse. I hope she gets the help she needs. It is rather suspicious that she kept a record of all abuse and stayed in the relationship. For what, money I guess. Let’s not forget she spends way more than she earns. She needs her mother to take her away and talk to her. Please don’t insist that her abusive past is irrelevant. This site has been labelling even the slightest aggressive touch monstrous for days. If JD is a monster. Dear Amber too is. Gloria Allred really?
Gloria would probably pay her for a piece of this action
Huh, I am surprised by all the hate for Gloria Allread. I never followed her closely but often she would make brilliant, feminist statements about things that were happening in the news and she also seemed to be very effective at showing sexism where others denied there was sexism.
So for that I respect her. Even if she is now “publicity hungry/ambulance chaser” as said by most above. I think she’s done a lot to help fight misogyny.
Also, there’s no harm in getting other people’s opinions. It’s just a consult.
Gloria Allred seems like a big opportunist. I honestly don’t think she does any of it because she feels for these women more just for the money. I don’t think Gloria really has a very good success rate in these things either, she just gets a bunch of attention. If that is what Amber wants I would say she has already got it, not sure how much more she needs.
I agree. It appears that Ms. Heard is already excellently represented. I think at this point, she is kicking ass and taking names. She is on autopilot and pissed. Perhaps it is time for one of her friends to try to convince her that she has already won so she can rest.
I mean, rest up for the next round. Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I knew she would lose weight. Everything she tries to eat really does taste like cardboard. Her fury, her friends’ support, and the truth will see her through.