After Their Nasty Courtroom Battle, Blake Lively Is Hitting Justin Baldoni With a Legal Demand That Could Leave His Studio in Ruins
Final blow?
Blake Lively is demanding Justin Baldoni pay her $8.04 million in legal fees after their explosive courtroom battle over It Ends With Us ended with her defamation defense victorious. According to Us Weekly, the request, filed in court documents on June 29, 2026, breaks down to nearly $7.5 million in attorneys’ fees and another $540,000 in litigation costs, marking what could be the final financial blow in a case that dragged both stars through months of public scrutiny.
Lively’s legal team isn’t holding back in their justification for the sum. They called the work required to defeat Baldoni’s lawsuit “comprehensive and necessary” to secure what they described as a “complete win.” The filing also highlights the scale of the legal battle, noting that Lively’s team produced over 7,000 documents while sifting through tens of thousands more from Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios and third parties.
The case also drew “significant press attention,” with thousands of media articles amplifying the drama. Lively’s attorneys argue this only added to the complexity and cost of her defense.
The request isn’t just about recouping expenses
Lively’s lawyers framed it as a landmark moment for accountability, especially for those who speak out about harassment. “Thanks to this landmark decision, those considering using a lawsuit as a weapon of intimidation have been put on notice that there are consequences for doing so,” they said.
“The value of this ruling is in the precedent it creates, the accountability it imposes, and the protection it provides to those who may one day find themselves facing similar retaliation for speaking the truth.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, the case is believed to be one of the first applications of a California law designed to shield sexual harassment victims from retaliatory defamation claims, a detail Lively’s team is leaning into as they push for the full amount.
The filing makes it clear Lively “has paid, and continues to pay” her legal bills, and she’s not stopping at this request. Her team also signaled they’ll seek “any additional attorneys’ fees” incurred while litigating the fee request itself, meaning Baldoni could end up on the hook for even more if the court battle drags on.
Judge Lewis J. Liman has given Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios until July 13 to respond, after which he’ll decide whether to award the full $8.04 million, reduce it, or deny it altogether. The legal feud between Lively and Baldoni began in December 2024, when Lively sued her It Ends With Us co-star and director, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
Baldoni had vehemently denied the allegations and countersued
But his defamation lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in June 2025. The case took a dramatic turn in May when both parties were set to go to trial, only for evidence and depositions to be unsealed in court documents. The revelations added fuel to an already fiery dispute, but the two sides ultimately reached a settlement out of court last month.
In a joint statement in May, Lively and Baldoni struck a conciliatory tone, calling the film “a source of pride” and emphasizing their shared goal of raising awareness about domestic violence. “We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard,” the statement read.
“We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”
The financial fallout is far from over
Lively’s legal team, led by high-profile attorneys Michael Gottlieb of Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Esra Hudson of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, has been transparent about the costs involved. Gottlieb, who billed $457,000 over 224 hours, agreed to a 15% discount for Lively, bringing his average hourly rate down to $2,187. His firm was paid roughly $4.5 million in total, while Hudson’s firm contributed another $2.9 million to Lively’s legal bill.
The attorneys argued in their filing that they succeeded in “every conceivable measure” by getting Baldoni’s lawsuit dismissed, which they called a “gross abuse of the legal system” meant to retaliate against Lively. Baldoni’s legal team, however, has pushed back on the idea that the lawsuit was frivolous.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, estimated that Lively’s legal costs could have reached as high as $60 million, though he didn’t provide evidence to back up that claim. “He didn’t get the result that they hoped to get in this case,” Freedman said of Gottlieb. His comments suggest Baldoni’s team is prepared to fight Lively’s fee request.
The stakes are high for everyone involved
The case has been a legal marathon, with nearly 1,500 entries on the court docket over less than two years. Both sides engaged in extensive legal and public relations maneuvers, turning what started as a workplace dispute into a high-profile spectacle.
For Lively, the fee request is her last shot at any monetary compensation after the settlement left her without a payout. The California law she’s invoking is meant to protect harassment victims from being silenced by retaliatory lawsuits, and her team is framing this as a test case for its effectiveness. If the judge grants the full $8.04 million, it could send a strong message to others who might consider using the legal system to intimidate accusers.
For Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, a ruling in Lively’s favor could leave them on the hook for a massive financial penalty, adding insult to injury after their defamation lawsuit was dismissed. The July 13 deadline for their response will be closely watched, as it could determine whether this chapter of their legal battle is truly over or if it’s just the beginning of another costly fight.
(Featured image: Wayfarer Studios, Sony Pictures, and Saks Picture Company)
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