The mother of six is no longer working with high-power attorney Laura Wasser.
Angelina Jolie is no longer working with high-power attorney Laura Wasser.
In a statement to ET on Monday, the actress' spokesperson, Mindy Nyby, said Jolie is now working with attorney Samantha Bley DeJean of Bley and Bley when it comes to her divorce from estranged husband Brad Pitt. Bley is the lawyer who filed Jolie's latest court filing earlier this month, in which she accused Pitt of not paying any "meaningful" child support for a year and a half, which Pitt's lawyer denied in his own court filing.
"Angelina decided to change counsel to Samantha Bley DeJean of Bley and Bley, as Samantha’s expertise is the protection and best interests of children," the statement reads. "Angelina appreciates Laura [Wasser]’s cooperation in transitioning the case over the past several weeks."
A source close to the situation tells ET, “Angelina put Samantha in the lead of the case a month ago and over the last month the case has fully transitioned to Samantha.”
“Samantha’s expertise is the protection of children and over the last few weeks she [Angelina] has really come to rely on Samantha’s counsel,” the source adds.
“Angelina has remained focused on healing her family and continues to support the reconciliation of the children with Brad,” the source says.
Nyby previously denied to ET that Jolie was splitting from Wasser after a TMZ report earlier this month claimed that Wasser was quitting over internal conflicts with the 43-year-old actress. Wasser's A-list clients have previously included Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian West.
"I just spoke with Laura. The TMZ story is not true and she is not quitting now or in the future," Jolie's spokesperson said at the time.
A source familiar with the matter at the time also told ET that rather, new experts had been brought on, signifying a "new phase" of divorce proceedings.
Jolie and Pitt share six children together: 16-year-old Maddox, 14-year-old Pax, 13-year-old Zahara, 12-year-old Shiloh and 10-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. The former couple announced their separation in September 2016 after two years of marriage.
Since then, the two have been engaged in a bitter custody battle, but last week, a source close to the situation told ET that Jolie and Pitt reached an interim custody agreement.
According to the source, Jolie and Pitt had a planned custody hearing, though it was no longer necessary after reaching the agreement.
“The interim arrangement was agreed upon by both parties after it was recommended by their custody evaluator," thh source said. “There was no longer a need for the hearing."
A second source also ET that the interim agreement has been in place for a while, and a more permanent custody deal has yet to be decided.
“Nothing has changed,” the source said, adding that the estranged couple is trying to be “amicable for the children.”
For the latest on Jolie and Pitt's custody battle, watch the video below:
-- Reporting by Rande Iaboni
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