Michele Mulrooney
Estate planning attorney and partner at Gallagher LLP specializing in prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She was retained in February 2015 to represent Amber Heard in postnuptial negotiations opposite Depp's attorney Dana Lowy. She had no prior relationship with either party and testified via deposition designation rather than appearing live at trial.
Testimony Impact
Mulrooney testified that her February 2015 engagement progressed normally — Heard returned a signed confidentiality agreement within a day and Mulrooney was awaiting a draft postnuptial — until Depp called her directly, the only communication she ever had with him. He called her a "bitch," fired her on Heard's behalf, and she observed his speech was slurred in a way she associated with intoxication. No postnuptial agreement was ever completed. On cross, Chew drew repeated confirmations that Depp had no legal authority to terminate Heard's attorney, and a brief redirect locked in Mulrooney's unequivocal identification of Depp as the caller and confirmed that no further postnuptial communications followed his call.
Notable Quotes From The Record
“My recollection is that he was very mean, that he called me names, and that he fired me on behalf of Amber.”
Core testimony establishing that Depp intervened directly in Heard's legal representation and terminated the postnup negotiation.
“Well, my only exact recollection was he called me a bitch.”
Specific verbatim detail of Depp's conduct toward Heard's attorney, offered as character evidence.
“He was slurring his words, and his speech pattern was similar to my children's speech pattern when they are -- when they are under the influence.”
Mulrooney's lay-observer basis for concluding Depp was intoxicated during the call, consistent with Heard's broader substance-abuse narrative.
“No.”
Direct denial that Depp had authority to terminate her representation of Heard.
“I do recall that I told her that I was no longer representing Amber. But I don't know if I - was that in writing. Somehow she knew.”
Imprecise recollection of how she communicated her withdrawal, illustrating gaps in her memory of post-call events.
“Within a few days. Could be one.”
Places termination of the attorney-client relationship very close in time to Depp's call, showing its practical effect despite his lack of legal authority.
“No.”
Unequivocal confirmation that Mulrooney had no doubt the caller was Depp.
Key Moments
Mulrooney walks through email exhibits — chains between herself and Depp's attorney Dana Lowy from February 2–18, 2015 — establishing that postnuptial negotiations were underway and progressing.
Day 19 · Direct of Michele Mulrooney
Mulrooney describes Heard's prompt cooperation: the signed confidentiality agreement came back within one day, and Mulrooney was awaiting Lowy's draft postnuptial when the engagement was terminated.
Day 19 · Direct of Michele Mulrooney
Mulrooney testifies that Depp called her directly — the only communication she ever received from him — was very mean, called her a 'bitch,' and fired her on Heard's behalf.
Day 19 · Direct of Michele Mulrooney
Mulrooney offers a lay observation that Depp was slurring his words, comparing his speech pattern to her children's when they are under the influence — supporting Heard's team's broader narrative of substance impairment.
Day 19 · Direct of Michele Mulrooney
Chew extracts Mulrooney's first confirmation that Depp had no legal authority to fire her, initiating a deliberate three-part repetition loop designed to lock the admission into the record.
Day 19 · Cross of Michele Mulrooney
Mulrooney confirms she told opposing counsel Dana Lowy she was no longer representing Heard, but cannot recall the mechanism — leaving the record imprecise on whether the withdrawal was documented in writing.
Day 19 · Cross of Michele Mulrooney
Chew closes the repetition loop: Mulrooney reconfirms a final time that Depp had no power to fire her, completing the triple admission for the record.
Day 19 · Cross of Michele Mulrooney
Bredehoft's two-question redirect seals the record: Mulrooney confirms no substantive postnuptial communications from Lowy followed Depp's call, and answers an unqualified 'No' when asked whether she had any doubt the caller was Depp.
Day 19 · Redirect of Michele Mulrooney
Evidence From Their Proceedings (3)
Exhibit 3 — Mulrooney–Lowy Email (Feb 2, 2015)
Exhibit 3 — an email from Michele Mulrooney to Dana Lowy dated February 2, 2015, requesting deal-point bullet points and Heard's financial information.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 4 — Mulrooney–Lowy Deal Points (Feb 3, 2015)
Exhibit 4 — an email chain between Mulrooney and Dana Lowy dated February 3, 2015, including J/A deal points.
Catalog entry →Exhibit 7 — Postnuptial Negotiation Emails (Feb 17–18, 2015)
Exhibit 7 — an email chain from February 17–18, 2015, covering the confidentiality agreement and Mulrooney's request for Depp's financial disclosures and future revenue streams.
Catalog entry →