In December 2018, Amber Heard, the former spouse of Johnny Depp, penned a heartfelt op-ed for The Washington Post addressing the issue of domestic violence. Although she refrained from directly naming the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor, she alluded to her own personal familiarity with the matter. This publication provoked a strong reaction from Johnny Depp, leading him to initiate a defamation lawsuit against her in March 2019, seeking $50 million in damages. He alleged that her op-ed article had led to him losing a role in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise and negatively affected his income. In addition, he accused her of fabricating the claims of abuse.

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To mount her defense, the actress known for her role in ‘The Rum Diary’ sought the representation of Roberta Kaplan, a co-founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. Roberta’s strategy involves presenting evidence to the judge that substantiates the truth of the allegations, ultimately aiming to counter the defamation lawsuit. To achieve this, she aims to gather proof of Depp’s struggles with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, which were cited by Heard as factors contributing to his abusive conduct.

Who is Roberta Kaplan?

Roberta Ann Kaplan, often referred to as Robbie Kaplan and born in 1966, is an American attorney specializing in both commercial litigation and public interest issues. She gained significant recognition for her successful representation before the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of United States v. Windsor. In this landmark case, she advocated on behalf of LGBT rights activist Edith Windsor, leading to the overturning of a section of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and establishing federal recognition of same-sex marriages. Prior to establishing her own firm in 2017, she held a partnership role at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Notably, she played a pivotal role in co-founding the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in 2018.

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Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Roberta Kaplan spent her formative years in a Jewish family. She completed her education at Hawken School in Gates Mills, Ohio, graduating in 1984. During her high school years, she shared a close friendship with LGBT scholar and activist Aaron Belkin, who also accompanied her as a prom date. Kaplan furthered her studies at Harvard University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian history and literature in 1988.

On September 24, 2020, Roberta Kaplan and her law firm initiated a legal action in the New York Supreme Court situated in Manhattan. They filed the lawsuit on behalf of Mary L. Trump, the plaintiff, alleging that President Donald J. Trump and his siblings, namely Maryanne Trump Barry and Robert Trump, were involved in a lengthy period of financial fraud and civil conspiracy.