Justin Baldoni's Lawyer Denounces Blake Lively's Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit

Blake Lively recently filed a motion to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit against her. Baldoni’s lawyer swiftly labeled the request as "abhorrent."

Lively's attorneys, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, characterized Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit as "vengeful and rambling." They argued it represents a "profound abuse of the legal process" that should not occur in federal court.

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, criticized Lively’s motion. He stated, "Ms. Lively's recent motion to dismiss herself from the self-concocted disaster she initiated is one of the most abhorrent examples of abusing our legal system." According to Freedman, "Stringent rules ensure the innocent can defend themselves. Laws should not be distorted by privileged individuals for personal agendas."

Freedman addressed another motion initiated by Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, who sought to dismiss Baldoni's defamation claim against himself on March 18. "We will continue to hold Ms. Lively accountable for her malicious actions," Freedman declared. He added that her "fantastical claims" would be disproved with evidentiary support during discovery.

The legal conflict began in December 2024 when Lively accused Baldoni, It Ends With Us producer Jamey Heath, and Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign.

In January, Baldoni responded with his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Vision PR, Inc. He sought to address conflicts behind the scenes of It Ends With Us. Gottlieb and Hudson vehemently criticized the lawsuit, citing it as legally unfounded and an attempt to silence Lively.

Their statement condemned the lawsuit as having "no place in federal court." Lively's team highlighted that California law prohibits lawsuits against individuals who report sexual harassment. They stated, "This meritless lawsuit faces multiple insurmountable legal challenges."

Baldoni and his co-defendants are subject to California Civil Code Section 47.1, which prohibits retaliatory lawsuits alongside public disclosures regarding sexual harassment. Lively’s lawyers challenged Baldoni’s assertion that she "conspired" with The New York Times, maintaining she had a legal right to share her complaint’s details.

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