Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Daughter Shiloh Made Decision to Change Last Name After ‘Painful Events’ she was… see more

In a new statement, Shiloh’s attorney shared details around her official name change, which she filed for on her 18th birthday on May 27

An attorney for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Shiloh is speaking out about her decision to drop “Pitt” from her last name.

She filed for the name change on May 27 — her 18th birthday — and it was publicly announced with a legal notice in the Los Angeles Times shortly after. In a new statement, Shiloh’s attorney, Peter Levine, spoke of her “significant decision” — and why she approached it the way that she did.

“The media should be more careful in their reporting,” Levine said, “especially when covering a young adult who has made an independent and significant decision following painful events, and is merely following legal process.”

Explaining this process further, he said, “Shiloh Jolie did not take out an ‘ad’ announcing any name change, and any press reporting that is inaccurate. As Shiloh’s attorney, I am required to publish a legal notice because the law in California requires that of anyone who wants to change their name. That legal notice was published in the Los Angeles Times, as is required.”

Levine’s statement echoes comments a legal expert recently made to PEOPLE, saying that the public name change announcement in a newspaper “could not have been avoided” for the official name-change process to move forward.

“She has to file a formal petition with the court to change her name,” California-based family law attorney David Glass told PEOPLE. “And she has to run an ad 4 weeks in a row before the hearing is scheduled, in addition to giving both of her parents written notification.”