Overview
- A federal judge entered judgment for Blake Lively totaling $363,245.40 in attorneys' fees and $44,206.35 in costs after reviewing her fee submissions.
- Lively had sought roughly $8.3 million in legal fees and expenses from two law firms but the court allowed only a narrow slice tied to defending Justin Baldoni's dismissed $400 million defamation counterclaim.
- Judge Lewis A. Liman reduced the award after finding many billed hours and expense items unreasonable and noting discrepancies in the materials Lively submitted to justify recovery.
- Justin Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called the ruling a significant victory and said it sends a message about misuse of the courts, while Lively's lawyers said the case was always about accountability rather than money.
- The decision follows a multi‑year dispute that began with Lively's December 2024 suit alleging on‑set sexual harassment and defamation, proceeded through dismissals and a May 2026 settlement, and now leaves fee practices and billing scrutiny as potential downstream issues to watch.