Benjamin G. Chew, who served as co-lead counsel for Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against actor and former spouse Amber Heard, will join Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Business Trial practice group.

Chew will be based in Washington, D.C. and will be joined by colleagues Camille Vasquez, Leo Presiado, Andrew Crawford, Jessica Meyers and Samuel Moniz. All of them recently moved to Sheppard Mullin from Brown Rudnick.

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All six attorneys were previously partners at Brown Rudnick, where Chew co-chaired the Brand and Reputation Management Group.

Associate Honieh Udenka also joined the firm’s Business Trial Practice Group from Brown Rudnick.

“I am excited to rejoin my team and continue building on Sheppard Mullin’s stellar reputation as a litigation powerhouse,” Chew said. “Our Brand and Reputation Management practice will benefit from the firm’s full-service platform and deep industry expertise.”

Chew is a respected lawyer who represents clients in complex commercial litigation and disputes. He successfully prosecuted two breaches of ?duciary duty cases for Depp and represented singer Cher in several cases, including two related to the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Edith & Eddie.”

He also represented the government of Dubai in securing the dismissal of International Bechtel’s petition to confirm a multimillion-dollar arbitration award in the U.S. He won an EULEX criminal trial in Kosovo on behalf of telecommunications entrepreneurs after passing the country’s bar exam, allowing them to retain the lucrative franchise.

Chew earned his B.A. from Princeton University and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and teaches at Harvard Law School’s trial advocacy workshop.

“Ben brings unparalleled trial experience to the firm,” Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard Mullin, said in a statement. “In addition to his well-known litigation matters for Johnny Depp, he has represented heads of state, foreign governments and business leaders in a variety of matters across the globe. We are delighted to have Ben and Honieh join the firm and expand our Business Trial practice.”

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