Though they split in 2016, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce rages on. And as the two continue to sort out their differences on that front, they’ve also been embroiled in another legal situation. The two are involved in a court battle over a winery they once owned together, with said dispute stemming from a lawsuit Pitt filed in 2022. The actor remains in litigation and, due to a switch-up, it would seem Chuck Norris’ former lawyer is now involved in the matter.
It would seem that the Legends of the Fall alum has made a change to his legal representation when it comes to this ongoing winery suit. MyNewsLA.com reports that he’s brought on John V. Berlinski – of the firm Bird, Marella – as his new lead attorney. The Oscar winner’s previous top lawyers in the case had been Katelyn A. Kuwata and Laura W. Brill, who belongs to the Kendall, Brill & Kelly firm. The court documents that made note of the change don’t specify the exact reasons for the alteration.
What is known is that John Berlinski has a significant amount of experience when it comes to Hollywood-adjacent legal matters. As mentioned, he represented veteran actor Chuck Norris, whose Top Kick productions banner filed suit against CBS. The dispute was over Walker, Texas Ranger profits and an alleged breach of contract. After five years, Norris’ case came to an end this past July, after the judge dismissed it. With that, both parties settled the matter out of court.
The attorney’s resume also includes a number of other notable accomplishments, per his law firm’s website. He represented Bones’ Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz amid a fraud and breach of contract case against 21st Century Fox and the Fox Broadcasting Company. The case was ultimately successful, with the court ruling for an $179 million arbitration award that’s apparently the largest in the history of profit participation disputes. He also represented Scarlett Johansson when she sued the Walt Disney Company over Black Widow’s release, and that situation ended in a settlement for the actress.
With this latest case, John V. Berlinski will take on a case that’s included a considerable amount of back and forth between the parties involved. The now-59-year-old Brad Pitt filed suit against his former wife after she reportedly sold her shares in their Chateau Miraval winery. Per Pitt’s representation, he and Jolie previously agreed that such a move wouldn’t be done without his approval. The actress eventually countersued him and stated that she sold her part of the business in order to gain “financial independence” from her former hubby. Jolie sold said shares to a company owned by Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler.
The situation became even more complicated after Angelina Jolie made claims of physical abuse against her ex during the fall of 2022. She alleged that in 2016, the Ocean’s Eleven alum abused her and their children while they were on a private flight. The veteran leading man, through his lawyers, denied the accusations. His lawyer also shot down the notion that the winery lawsuit was spurred by Jolie’s alleged decision to turn down an NDA that would’ve prevented the abuse claims from being shared.
Most recently, Brad Pitt was called out by his ex’s former investment firm, Nouvel, which claimed he was "looting" and "stripping" the winery in an attempt to hold onto ownership of the property. It appears Pitt, John V. Berlinski and their team have a lot of work on their hands when it comes to this case, and it remains to be seen how it’ll all pan out.
