Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that Benjamin G. Chew, who served as co-lead counsel for Johnny Depp in his successful defamation trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, against former wife Amber Heard, has joined the firm’s Business Trial practice group in Washington, D.C. He joins from Brown Rudnick, where he co-chaired the Brand & Reputation Management group.
Associate Honieh Udenka also joined the firm’s Business Trial practice group from Brown Rudnick. She is based in Orange County.
They join colleagues Camille Vasquez, Leo Presiado, Andrew Crawford, Jessica Meyers and Samuel Moniz, who recently moved to Sheppard Mullin.
“Ben brings unparalleled trial experience to the firm,” said Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard Mullin. “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.”
Chew is a nationally known trial lawyer who has handled numerous high-profile matters, including “the trial of the century,” Depp v. Heard. He represents clients in complex commercial litigation and commercial disputes, including successfully prosecuting two breach of fiduciary duty cases for Depp. He represented singer and actress Cher in several cases, including two relating to the Academy Award- nominated documentary “Edith & Eddie.” He 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., and won a EULEX criminal trial in Kosovo on behalf of telecommunications entrepreneurs after passing the country’s bar exam, allowing them to retain the lucrative franchise. Fluent in Spanish, Chew won summary judgment for the government of Honduras in U.S. litigation. He currently represents the co-developer of Invisalign in several arbitration and litigation matters. He earned his B.A. from Princeton University and his J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law, practicing often in Virginia state and in federal courts. Chew is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and teaches at Harvard Law School’s trial advocacy workshop.
“Ben and Honieh add even more depth and experience to our team’s capabilities,” said partner Robert Friedman, co-leader of Sheppard Mullin’s Business Trial practice group. “They bring great synergies with their brand reputation experience and our private wealth and fiduciary litigation and entertainment practices. We are thrilled they have joined us.”
“I am excited to rejoin my team and continue building on Sheppard Mullin’s stellar reputation as a litigation powerhouse,” said Chew. “Our Brand and Reputation Management practice will benefit from the firm’s full-service platform and deep industry expertise.”
“I have had the pleasure of working alongside Ben and Honieh for many years, and they are an integral part of our trial team. I am excited continue to grow our bi-coastal Brand and Reputation Management practice on the Sheppard Mullin platform,” said Vasquez.
Udenka represents clients in complex disputes in a variety of fields, including commercial and business litigation, defamation and bankruptcy restructuring matters, with a particular focus on brand and reputation management. She navigates complex disputes on matters of national significance involving global companies, and counsels and defends individuals, celebrities and C-suite executives. Udenka earned her B.A., with high honors, from Eastern Mediterranean University and her J.D. from the University of California, Irvine School of Law.
About Sheppard Mullin’s Business Trial Practice Group
Litigation has been a core part of Sheppard Mullin since 1927. Our Business Trial practice today consists of approximately 250 attorneys globally. Sheppard Mullin litigators possess exceptional trial and appellate skills, in-depth knowledge of state and federal courts at all levels, and practical business judgment, all of which contribute to our consistent delivery of cost-effective results. Our litigators represent clients in a broad spectrum of industries such as computers and information technology, financial services, aerospace, manufacturing, entertainment, transportation, communications, pharmaceuticals, advertising, print and broadcast media, franchising, petroleum production and refining, real estate, insurance, construction, and food and beverage manufacturing, among others.