Justin Baldoni slams Blake Lively's fee request as 'anything but typical'

Justin Baldoni requested a federal judge either “substantially reduce” Blake Lively’s more than $8 million in attorneys’ fees and litigation costs or completely reject the actress’s request.

On July 13, according to a filing forwarded, the actor and producer and Wayfarer Studios mentioned the Gossip Girl alum’s request as an “anything but a typical fee motion,” and that her legal team charged “excessive” fees per hour.

Baldoni’s filing also included that Lively has requested more fees compared to a similar case from The New York Times, when he filed a defamation case against the outlet for reporting that he and his PR team had engaged in a “smear campaign” against Lively. His legal team argued that the publisher only sought $181,622.70 in attorneys’ fees in a “motion to dismiss precisely the same defamation claim.”

Moreover, the Monday filing alleged, “The most cursory review of Lively’s submission shows multiple lawyers at the same hearings, numerous charges for lawyers conferencing, conferring, or strategizing with one another, and, to put it mildly, extremely excessive research and online investigation.”

The filing also called Lively’s request for attorney’s fees, which are “$539,514.01 in costs and expenses” a “whopping” amount. Baldoni and his team continued to ask the federal judge either to completely dismiss Lively’s request or reduce the amount.

The filing also stated, “Lively fails to meet her burden to present credible evidence showing that the fees and costs she seeks to recover are reasonable and, accordingly, her fee motion should be denied in its entirety”.

“At minimum, the Court should substantially reduce the request, using as a benchmark the $181,622.70 the Times sought after securing dismissal of Count II on its separate motion to dismiss, the same outcome Lively achieved.” This came after Justin Baldoni broke his silence on Blake Lively’s legal battle linked to their film It Ends with Us.

       Read More: Blake Lively unhappy with Justin Baldoni’s latest video

Background:

Lively sued Bladoni for sexual harassment and coordinating a smear campaign against her in 2024.

In response, Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios hit back with a countersuit against the 38-year-old actress and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing the Hollywood couple of defamation and extortion.

In June 2026, Lively’s sexual harassment claims were tossed out on jurisdictional grounds, which led them to reach an out-of-court settlement.

Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively’s could only seek legal costs from Baldoni, but not damages under a Californian law designed to protect anyone making sexual misconduct allegations.