Blake Lively will recover approximately $400,000 in legal fees and costs from Justin Baldoni and his production company, a federal judge ruled according to NBC News. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman ordered the payment following the dismissal of Baldoni’s defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively.
Federal Judge Awards Blake Lively Legal Fees
Lively had initially sought more than $8 million in total compensation and expenses, requesting $8,035,040.88, which included $7,495,526.87 in attorneys’ fees and $539,514.01 in costs. Judge Liman ultimately awarded her $363,245.40 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206.35 in costs.
Ruling Details and Legal Limitations
In his written decision in Manhattan, according to ABC7, Judge Liman explained that while the legal counsel’s hourly rates were not unreasonable, the total number of hours for which Lively sought reimbursement was unreasonable. The judge also rejected requests for expenses related to media relations and certain travel, noting that media relations were not integral to defending against the defamation claim.
The court limited the reimbursement based on the scope of a California #MeToo-era law designed to protect sex abuse survivors and victims of discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits intended to intimidate and silence them. Liman ruled that the statute only permitted reimbursement for expenses tied specifically to defending against defamation claims rather than all of the claims Baldoni had brought against her.
Attorneys for Baldoni highlighted the stark reduction from the initial multi-million-dollar demand. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, stated that the judge considered the demand and awarded only about 5 percent of the requested amount, calling the decision a significant victory.
Background on the Dispute and Settlement
The legal battle stems from the production of the 2024 film It Ends With Us,
which Baldoni directed and starred in alongside Lively. Lively filed a lawsuit in late 2024 accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy. Baldoni vehemently denied the allegations, claiming Lively fabricated complaints to seize creative control of the movie.
Weeks after Lively’s initial complaint, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and economic interference. Judge Liman dismissed the countersuit, and later rejected Lively’s sexual harassment claims after determining she was an independent contractor rather than an employee during her work on the film.
In early May, two weeks before a scheduled trial in New York, Lively and Baldoni reached an out-of-court settlement with undisclosed terms. A source familiar with the matter previously confirmed that no money changed hands in the settlement, which averted the block-buster trial.
Reactions From Legal Counsel
In a joint statement, Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, emphasized that the litigation was focused on accountability rather than financial gain.
Blake Lively’s case was never about money — it was about accountability,
Hudson and Gottlieb said according to Deadline, adding that the outcome demonstrates that the legal system still functions as a force for accountability.
Читайте также
