Blake Lively Secures Fraction of Legal Fees in Baldoni Dispute

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman delivered the decision on August 26, rejecting the bulk of the reimbursement request tied to the defamation claims. While the judge acknowledged the high stakes and complexity of the litigation, he determined the total hours billed by Lively’s attorneys were unreasonable. Specifically, the court excluded expenses related to public relations work, ruling that media management was not integral to the legal defense.

Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, hailed the reduced payout as a significant victory for his client, characterizing the original $8 million demand as outrageous. Conversely, Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, maintained that the award remains a historic outcome under California law, asserting the litigation was focused on accountability rather than financial gain. The ruling settles one of the final remaining financial threads from the case, which was largely resolved via a settlement in May.