NBC News’ hiring of Johnny Depp attorney Camille Vasquez irks staff: report

Celebrity attorney Camille Vasquez’s hiring by NBC News as a legal analyst has irked several staffers at the network, according to a published report.

Vasquez, who achieved fame last year for successfully representing Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, made her first appearance in an official capacity on Monday’s edition of the “Today” show.

The appearance prompted pushback from NBC News staffers who “felt that the hiring discounted NBC’s own reporting” on the Depp-Heard trial, Semafor reported, citing two employees with knowledge of the situation.

One unnamed NBC News journalist submitted a “written complaint to management raising concerns about the decision to hire her as an analyst,” the outlet reported.

NBC News’ past coverage of the legal battle included a documentary released this year detailing its potential to negatively impact victims of domestic abuse.


Camille Vasquez
NBC staffers are reportedly irked at the hiring of the celebrity lawyer.
NBC

“For her to end up in this branding, as an NBC News Analyst — it puts her in league with the journalists of this network, and that’s unfortunate,” one NBC News staffer told Semafor.

The Post has reached out to NBC News for comment.

Vasquez became a viral sensation and social media darling last year while serving as Depp’s lead attorney alongside Benjamin Chew. She became known for her heated clashes with Heard during the trial’s cross-examination phase.


Camille Vasquez and Johnny Depp
Camille Vasquez was the lead attorney for Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The case polarized the internet and prompted endless debate in media circles.

Depp was awarded more than $10 million in damages after a jury determined that Heard had harmed his reputation with her allegations of domestic abuse.

Aside from her new gig at NBC News, Vasquez is a partner at the firm Brown Rudnick and co-chair of its brand and reputation management group.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the NBC family as a legal analyst. I grew up watching the ‘Today’ show and it’s such a privilege to now be part of a world-class, dedicated team discussing the most important legal stories of the day,” Vasquez told The Post on Monday.

During her debut appearance, Vasquez gave her take on the legal fallout from Brian Kohberger’s arrest in connection to the murders of four college students in Moscow, Idaho.