Judge Limits Attorney Fee Award in Lively-Baldoni Case
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered a $400,000 payment to Blake Lively for attorneys’ fees related to her legal conflict with "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni. The sum is a fraction of the $8 million Lively initially demanded. Judge Lewis Liman granted $363,000 for legal fees and an additional $44,000 for court costs in the New York federal court ruling.
This decision marks a conclusion to the procedural disputes following a settlement reached in May. That agreement prevented a federal trial from moving forward. The latest ruling focuses strictly on the costs Lively incurred while defending against a defamation claim Baldoni filed. While the judge acknowledged the high stakes of the litigation, he found the total hours for which Lively sought reimbursement were excessive.
Context of the Retaliatory Claims
Lively’s legal struggle stems from allegations of a hostile workplace environment. In December 2024, she filed a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. She stated that Baldoni and his production house, Wayfarer Studios, orchestrated an online smear campaign after she raised concerns about sexual harassment on the film's set.
Baldoni responded by launching a defamation suit against both Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. He accused them of fabricating harassment allegations to seize creative control of the film project. Baldoni also targeted The New York Times, claiming the newspaper published defamatory content based on the initial civil rights complaint. That claim against the newspaper was dismissed as protected speech.
Legal Implications for Industry Standards
Attorneys for Lively frames the outcome as a win for accountability in Hollywood. Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb described the decision as proof that retaliatory lawsuits have real consequences for those who bring them. They argued that the case was never about financial gain but about establishing a standard for how such disputes are handled.
Conversely, Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, characterized the small payout as a victory for his client. He highlighted that Lively received roughly 5 percent of the amount she requested. Freedman argued the result serves as a warning that the court system is not a vehicle for personal gain. This case highlights how power dynamics and public narrative management intersect with standard litigation in the entertainment sector. Observers expect this case to be cited in future disputes regarding creative control and on-set conduct.