Brad Pitt hires top Beverly Hills family lawyer for divorce battle

Brad Pitt has hired the family law guru who represented Heather Locklear and Charlie Sheen as he prepares for a divorce and custody battle with Angelina Jolie.

Lance Spiegel will represent the actor after joining his legal team on Thursday afternoon (22Sep16), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The top Beverly Hills attorney will join Pitt's Hollywood lawyer Alan Hergott to do battle with Jolie and her legal rep Laura Wasser, in what could be a very messy divorce.

Spiegel, 70, also represented actress Eva Longoria in her split from basketball star Tony Parker, and the late Michael Jackson, among other high-profile clients.

Jolie, 40, filed for divorce on Monday (19Sep16), citing irreconcilable differences. Her legal team also includes Hollywood attorney Robert Offer, who has already spoken to the media on his client's behalf.

Confirming the shock divorce news, Offer revealed the actress had filed for "dissolution of marriage", adding the decision was made for "the health of the family".

"She will not be commenting, and asks that the family be given its privacy at this time," Offer added in a statement.

Pitt released his own statement on Tuesday (20Sep16). It read: "I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time."

Meanwhile, FBI agents are reportedly stepping in to take charge of an alleged child abuse investigation surrounding Brad.

It was initially reported officials from the Los Angeles Police Department and L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services were looking into the alleged incident, which took place on a private jet last week (ends16Sep16), days before Angelina Jolie filed her papers to end her two-year marriage.

The DCFS investigation is still said to be ongoing, but an LAPD spokesman has made it clear detectives are not involved and do not have an open case on the actor.