Blake Lively Scores Partial Legal Win Against Justin Baldoni, Got Attorney Fees But Denied Damages

After settling her legal case with her former co-star, Justin Baldoni, Blake once again went to court to recover her attorney fees. In fact, she also asked him to pay for the financial lossses she had to suffer during the case. But it seems like, once again, there is no clear winner among the It Ends With Us stars. Although the judge ruled that Blake is liable to get specific legal fee as per law, they denied her request to get any other financial damages.

Will Justin Baldoni pay nearly USD 60 million, including his and Blake’s attorneys’ fees?

According to the latest court documents obtained by multiple news outlets, a federal judge has settled the financial matters between Justin and Blake. As per the order, Justin will pay Blake for the attorneys’ fees and litigation costs she spend to defend herself. For those unaware, the actress was defending herself against a USD 400 million lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni against her. However, they settled it out of court. Still, the court rejected her request for extra damages. In turn, she will not receive any extra financial costs. Justin will only have to pay the court-approved legal costs.

The case was argued during a June 1, 2026, hearing in Manhattan federal court. During the hearing, Blake’s legal team argued that Justin’s defamation lawsuit was a retaliation against her filing. They argued that it was his way of targeting Blake. On the other hand, Justin’s attorneys opposed the request. They argued that the legal dispute was already settled. Still, Blake was trying to restart the issue that is no longer in the court’s authority.

Eventually, the judge ordered in favour of Blake for payment of her attorney fees. However, the exact amount that Justin and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, may be required to pay has not been decided. According to reports, neither Blake nor Justin will get any direct money. In fact, their specific settlement terms are still private. As per reports, Blake and Justin spent nearly USD 60 million combined in attorney fees, Justin will only have to pay some portion of Blake’s overall legal expenses.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reached an out-of-court settlement

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s legal conflict involved a long trial, allegations, lawsuits, and countersuits. But, unexpectedly, Blake Lively and Justin reached an out-of-court settlement in May 2026. It came just a few weeks before their major federal trial was set to begin.

The settlement ended their allegations of retaliation, breach of contract, and a reported smear campaign claims between them. In turn, both parties issued a joint statement expressing their commitment to maintaining respectful workplaces. At the same time, they expressed their pride in their work on It Ends with Us.

What was the legal matter between Justin Baldoni and Blake lively?

The conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni started during and after the production of It Ends With Us. It was an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel with the same name. Eventually, in 2024, Blake filed complaints against Justin alleging workplace misconduct, sexual harassment, and retaliation over the film’s production. She also blamed him for participating in the efforts that allegedly damaged her public reputation during the movie’s promotions.

In turn, Justin strongly denied it. He also sued Blake, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and others. The actor-director also alleged that the false accusations and negative publicity harmed his career and reputation. It also affected his opportunities to earn. Soon, the legal battle increased. The matter went public and both sides issued contrasting public statements in the media. They made controversial legal filings that made headlines. However, during hearings, majority of the claims were dismissed by the court. The court also dismissed Justin’s defamation lawsuit against Blake. In turn, Justin and Blake settled the matter outside court.