Justin Baldoni ordered to pay Blake Lively nearly $400K in legal fees
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Key Points:
- A federal judge in New York ordered Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to pay Blake Lively over $400,000 in attorneys' fees and costs, rejecting Lively's initial request for $7.5 million as "unreasonable."
- The ruling cited a California law protecting sexual harassment accusers from retaliation but limited its application to Lively’s attorneys’ fees related to defamation claims.
- Baldoni's attorney called the ruling a significant victory, highlighting that only 5% of the requested legal fees were awarded, emphasizing the court's rejection of what they viewed as an excessive demand.
- The legal battle began in December 2024 when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends With Us," with both sides denying various allegations and filing countersuits, many of which have been dismissed by the court.
- Judge Liman allowed Lively to continue pursuing retaliation claims against Baldoni’s public relations team, while dismissing much of her sexual harassment case earlier this year.
