3 cool facts about the law school that made Camille Vasquez

No matter where in the world you live in, it’s hard to miss the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial, which made headlines worldwide for months. Depp’s defamation trial against ex-wife Heard sparked plenty of memes and TikToks, but another figure in the trial unexpectedly became the topic of discussion among the public. That person is Camille Vasquez, Depp’s lawyer. 

Vasquez was one of the many members of Depp’s legal team. She took the role of questioning several witnesses and backing up Ben Chew — another one of Depp’s lawyers — and other members of the team. 

She garnered attention and praise after displaying her challenging and intense cross-examination of Heard and objecting to countless statements and arguments from Heard’s lawyers. She showed skills, glamour and confidence that impressed those watching the trial. 

After the trial, Vasquez continued to receive an outpouring of support from the public. She was also promoted from associate to partner at her firm, Brown Rudnick. 

Johnny Depp’s attorneys, Benjamin Chew and Camille Vasquez (centre), talk before the jury announced a split verdict in favour of both Depp and Heard on their claim and counter-claim in the Depp v. Heard civil defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 1, 2022. Source: Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP

Where did Camille Vasquez study? 

There’s no denying that law is one of the most highly sought-after programmes in the world. Even celebrities such as Rebel Wilson and Gemma Chan pursued law before their acting career. Wilson pursued a double degree in law and arts from UNSW Sydney, while Chan pursued law at the renowned University of Oxford.

Vasquez, on the other hand,  graduated “magna cum laude“ from the University of Southern California (USC) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Political Science in 2006. Fun fact: Did you know that Hwang Dong-Hyuk, the director of “Squid Game”, studied at USC? 

In 2010, Vasquez obtained a Juris Doctor qualification from the Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, admitting her to the bar in California. 

Vasquez gained extensive experience in litigation and arbitration, employment-related claims, sports and entertainment, crisis management litigation and government response throughout her legal career. According to People Espanol, before Depp, Vasquez represented many Hollywood A-listers in lawsuits, such as Ben Affleck, Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Lopez. 

According to her LinkedIn profile, before joining Brown Rudnick in 2018, Vasquez worked as an attorney at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.

The 38-year-old has undoubtedly come a long way since the Depp-Heard trial. While her legal experience has certainly contributed to her success, her law school also played a significant part in making her the highly-respected lawyer she is today. 

So, what do we know about Southwestern Law School, the school that made Vasquez? Here are fast and cool facts about it: 

This law school has the highest representation of African American students and the second highest Latino/Hispanic students among Californian law schools. Source: Southwestern Law School/Facebook

Southwestern Law School: 3 interesting facts about Camille Vasquez’s alma mater

It is over 100 years old 

Southwestern Law School — previously known as the Southwestern College of Law — began in Fall 1911. 

John J. Schumacher — the founder — intended the non-profit law school to provide legal education opportunities to qualified and deserving students who could not afford to pursue a degree. 

It was the second law school to open in Los Angeles, and has since grown to be one of the most established law schools in the US.

It has a strong representation of females and minorities

Southwestern hosts graduate students from over 200 undergraduate institutions. They come from every US state and more than a dozen countries. According to the school, 53% of its most recently-joined students are female, while 49% are minorities.

Southwestern also has the highest representation of African American students and the second highest Latino/Hispanic students among Californian law schools. 

It is the first law school to establish a centre for entertainment and media law 

Southwestern has strong ties to legal, business, civic, as well as entertainment and media industries. Its Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute is the first centre in the country for entertainment and media law and is closely linked to the entertainment industry in Hollywood and beyond. 

The institute helps prepare students for law practice in creative industries — one of the fields in which Vasquez excels.