“In a case like that of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, they want to settle it as soon as possible,” Davis says. “The goal is to get it done and get it done fast.”
Davis is a family law specialist and partner at Allman Spry Davis Leggett & Crumpler P.A. in Winston-Salem. Given her line of practice and the length of her career, Davis has represented a number of high profile or famous clients, from NASCAR drivers and other athletes to corporate executives.
Joslin Davis (JD ’77), courtesy of North Carolina Bar Association
“When you’re assisting someone who is very high profile with these circumstances, very emotional and very difficult circumstances of separation and divorce, as well as matters pertaining to their children, they want confidentiality most of all,” according to Davis.
Davis and her colleagues negotiate confidentiality agreements or dispute resolution mechanisms, whereby they preserve confidentiality, or attempt to preserve it as much as possible. This often entails private mediations and binding confidentiality agreements, private arbitrations and settlement documents.
“Preserving privacy is a primary concern during these often very trying times,” Davis says.
Davis explained that there are, however, circumstances where it is important when representing a particular client to get that client’s story out to the media first. This prevents rampant speculation by the media of matters that do not have anything to do with the case.
“Such as in the case with Angelina Jolie, you may want to go ahead and file an action immediately so that your client’s facts can be presented first and avert some of the speculation,” said Davis, adding, “but that didn’t necessarily work in this case with all speculation. It did with some of the issues.”
Jolie and Pitt have six children together, 12 multi-million dollar properties, and more than half-a-billion dollars in cumulative earnings.
The couple’s relationship began in 2004 after filming “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Since their marriage in 2014, Forbes estimates the two have earned a combined $117.5 million before taxes and fees.
“As far as their property and their enormous wealth goes, that’ll probably all be resolved with the implementation of a premarital agreement or settlement agreement,” Davis explained. “This isn’t their first time around the block. They have worked in the past with great lawyers and have great lawyers now. They likely also have a premarital agreement.”
Each will keep their own businesses, and any properties will be quickly distributed. In terms of their children, Jolie seeks primary physical custody. Both will probably have equal decision-making authority regarding their children with joint legal custody, which is very common and ordered by most judges in California, as well as North Carolina.
This is not the first time Davis, the only North Carolina attorney selected into the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), has been interviewed regarding high-profile celebrity divorce or separation cases. She spoke extensively about Johnny Depp’s and Tom Cruise’s cases, among others.
She has also been interviewed on topics such as cohabitation, premarital agreements, postmarital agreements, and how to keep the cost of a divorce as economical as possible. Davis has been sought out by Bloomberg News and Bloomberg Business Week, Money Talk News, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Fox Business, Good Housekeeping, the Today Show, and the Independent (UK).
Davis is the immediate past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), a nationwide organization of more than 1,600 of the top family lawyers in the country.
“The leadership of AAML is often sought out by news organizations, magazine, social media and other media on these very important topics,” said Davis, who served as president this past year.
As president, Davis led the organization at AAML’s two yearly meetings, the most recent of which was held in Chicago on Nov. 2-5, 2016. Davis also took 15 trips around the country to various chapters where she spoke to Fellows of the AAFL chapters, family law attorneys and other groups about the work of the Academy and her theme, which was “Value, Service, Reward.’”
Value, she explained, is regarding the value of AAML to the public – AAML provides training and education for the public and assistance in dealing with various family law matters. The AAML also provides exemplary training for family lawyers and judges.
Service relates to the devotion of time of AAML fellows.
“Our Fellows donate their time in a way that goes way beyond what we are paid to do as lawyers. There is significant dedication and service to the profession and the public,” Davis said. “The Reward is the reward that the public receives from our Fellows and our products, as well as the reward that our Fellows receive from the comradery, the education and the training that our organization gives.”
