Washington [US], September 23 (ANI): Earlier this year, during Johnny Depp's defamation trial, while many speculated that there were sparks flying between the actor and his attorney Camille Vasquez, the Hollywood star has taken fancy to a different lawyer.

Fox News has confirmed that Depp is dating Joelle Rich, the married lawyer who represented him in his U.K. defamation trial against a British tabloid for branding him a "wife-beater."According to the outlet, a source has said that Rich is already separated from her husband and is set to divorce him. Though she was not part of the legal team that represented Depp in his Virginia defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard, she was present for part of the six-week trial, which wrapped up in June.

The London-based mother of two was spotted more than once chatting with the Depp on smoke breaks outside the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse. Another source said that she also stayed with Depp at the Ritz-Carlton in McLean, Virginia, where he was holed up for the trial, reported Fox News.

During Depp's Virginia defamation trial, rumours swirled that he was dating attorney Camille Vasquez, but they both were quick to deny the gossip. "It's also an unethical charge being made. It's sexist," she told People magazine after Depp's courtroom triumph.

Rich works for a U.K.-based firm named Schillings and although she and her team lost the 2020 U.K. court battle, Depp didn't appear to hold the defeat against her. Currently, it is unknown how serious the pair's relationship is or when their romance began, as per Fox News.

Depp secured a major victory in his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard where he was awarded USD 10.35 million in damages on June 1 by a Virginia jury.

Heard too was awarded USD 2 million in damages on a single claim in her countersuit. Both of them have appealed the verdict. (ANI)