As Johnny Depp’s malpractice lawsuit against Bloom Hergott carries on, two of the firm’s namesake partners are retiring and leaving the firm with a new name.
Jake Bloom, who represented Depp for decades before the star took his former attorney to court in October 2017, is stepping down from the firm. Bloom’s partner Alan Hergott, who represented such A-list stars as Brad Pitt, Jake Gyllenhaal and Kathleen Kennedy, also is exiting the firm, which will be renamed Goodman Schenkman & Brecheen in their absence, it was announced Tuesday.
“We thank Jake and Alan for their many years of leadership, excellence and friendship, and we’re happy to build on their foundation. This generational shift positions us to capture growth opportunities and lead GSB’s practice into the future,” Bloom Hergott partner Carlos Goodman said in a statement.
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Bloom, named a Power Lawyer multiple times by The Hollywood Reporter, even amid his spat with Depp, represented a deep roster of A-list clients including Jerry Bruckheimer, Nicolas Cage, Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese during his decades of practice. The bearded and casually dressed Bloom and the erudite and art-collecting Hergott grew their namesake firm to become one of the most well-connected and powerful talent boutique law firms in entertainment.
But in October 2017, Depp alleged that Bloom was collecting contingent fees without a proper contract for 20 years, and asked for $30 million in restitution. Though the battle has raged on for nearly two years, with Adam Waldman now representing Depp, most recently Bloom’s legal team has said they will need to depose Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard, Pirates of the Caribbean producer Bruckheimer, Depp’s agent Bryan Lourd and entertainment power lawyers Singer, Blair Berk and Laura Wasser.
Bloom’s team is also looking to push the trial, currently scheduled for Sept. 16, to next spring, to allow the defense to pore over documents related to Depp’s settled lawsuit with managers at The Management Group.
The trial setting conference will take place May 29.
