One small step for Britney Spears is one giant leap in her fight for freedom!

Judge Brenda Penny recently approved the 39-year-old singer’s request to choose and hire her own attorney for her most recent court hearing on July 14 amid her conservatorship battle.

Originally, the Los Angeles court had appointed her former attorney, Sam Ingham, to represent her, since her conservatorship began some 13 years ago. However, on July 6, he had asked to resign “effective upon the appointment of new court-appointed counsel,” he stated.

However, Britney asked the judge for permission to hire former federal prosecutor, lawyer Mathew Rosengart, as her private attorney. He has worked with a range of top-tier Hollywood celebrities, including Sean Penn and Steven Spielberg.

“I haven’t really had the opportunity by my own self to actually handpick my own lawyer by myself. And I would like to be able to do that,” Britney explained.

Thankfully, the request was approved and Sam’s resignation was confirmed. This has been in the works for a while, but officially since July 6, when her mother, Lynne Spears, filed a petition asking the judge to allow Britney to hire her own private counsel.

“Clearly [Britney] needs private counsel to advise her as to her basic rights in this conservatorship,” she noted in the filing.

In her recent court hearing, Britney broke down, explaining that she was “extremely scared” of her father, Jamie Spears, and that she wanted to “get rid of my dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse,” adding that, “this conservatorship has allowed my dad to ruin my life.”

She has stated in previous court hearings how miserable the conservatorship has made her and how badly she needs it to end. “I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized. You know, fake it till you make it. But now I’m telling you the truth, OK? I’m not happy,” she said. “I can’t sleep. I’m so angry it’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day.” Later she added, “I’m not lying. I just want my life back. And it’s been 13 years. And it’s enough.”

Mathew has already begun to work for Britney’s freedom, stating that, “Jamie Spears should be removed as conservator because it is in [the] best interest of the conservatee.”

To learn more about attorney Mathew Rosengart and her ongoing conservatorship battle in the video below!

Have you been following the Britney Spears conservatorship battle? What would you like to see happen from this?