Blake Lively is seeking more than $8 million in legal fees from Justin Baldoni, following the dismissal of his $400-million defamation lawsuit against her. The request, filed on June 30, 2026, totals $8,035,040.88, including $7,495,526.87 in attorney fees and $539,514.01 in litigation costs and expenses, according to documents obtained by Entertainment Weekly.
Legal fees and attorney rates
Lively's attorneys, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, described their work as "comprehensive and necessary to achieve the complete win that was secured." They noted that Lively "has paid, and continues to pay" her legal bills, and will seek any additional fees incurred in this filing. The legal team broke down their rates, with some as high as $2,187 per hour while defending against the defamation suit. They attributed the high costs to "significant press attention" and an extensive discovery process involving more than 7,000 documents produced by Lively and tens of thousands more from the Wayfarer parties and third parties.
Background of the legal battle
The dispute began in December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, accusing him of sexual harassment on set and orchestrating a smear campaign. Baldoni countersued with a $400-million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane, alleging defamation, civil extortion, invasion of privacy, and breach of contract. On May 4, 2026, the two sides reached a settlement days before Lively's case was set to go to trial, with a federal court determining that Baldoni must pay Lively's attorney fees. However, Judge Lewis J. Liman denied Lively's additional request for punitive damages.
Statements from both sides
Gottlieb and Hudson stated: "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. 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." Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman called the pre-trial settlement "an incredible opportunity" and added: "I think they have their own interpretation of what they think is the law ... but when you want to parade around and call a loss a victory, this is your attempt to do so."
Next steps
Baldoni, 42, and Wayfarer Studios have been ordered to respond by July 13, after which the judge will determine whether to award the full amount, reduce it, or deny the request.
