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After Johnny Depp's Court Win, Showbiz Lawyers Question "Handshake" Contracts

The Hollywood Reporter

by Matt Galsor

Hollywood talent lawyers get 5 percent of their clients' pay. Everyone knows this, and virtually no one puts it in writing. But decades of gentlemen's agreements could haunt industry dealmakers after a California judge ruled Aug. 28 that Johnny Depp's 1999 oral agreement with his former lawyer Jake Bloom is voidable at the actor's discretion. Now, as Depp seeks a full refund for the estimated $30 million he paid Bloom, more attorneys are weighing whether to seek a retroactive written agreement from clients.