Justin Baldoni is pushing back against Blake Lively’s request for more than $8 million in attorneys’ fees and litigation costs after the latest turn in their It Ends With Us legal battle.
People reported that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios asked a federal judge to deny or “substantially reduce” Lively’s request in a filing submitted Monday, July 13.
TheWrap reported that the filing called the request “anything but a typical fee motion.”
Baldoni’s Side Called the Fees Excessive
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Baldoni’s attorneys argued that Lively’s legal team charged excessive hourly rates and overstaffed the case.
People reported that the filing cited 7,070.20 billable hours from 82 timekeepers, multiple lawyers at hearings, internal conferences and what Baldoni’s side described as excessive research and online investigation.
The filing also challenged Lively’s request for $539,514.01 in costs and expenses. Baldoni’s side argued that Lively had not met her burden to show that the fees and costs she seeks are reasonable.
Lively Says the Work Was Necessary
One of Baldoni’s central arguments was a comparison to The New York Times. People reported that Baldoni’s team said the newspaper sought $181,622.70 in attorneys’ fees after securing dismissal of what his side described as the same defamation claim.
Baldoni’s filing argued that the Times request should be used as a benchmark. His side said that, at minimum, Judge Liman should substantially reduce any award to Lively rather than granting the full amount she requested.
Lively’s attorneys have framed the fee request as the result of a successful defense against Baldoni’s defamation-related claims.
Her legal team argued that the case’s unusually high profile required extensive work, including major document production, motion practice and media-related demands. They also said Lively has paid and continues to pay her legal bills.
The Fight Follows the Dismissed Countersuit
The legal fight began after the production and promotion of It Ends With Us. Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni denied her claims and later countersued Lively, Ryan Reynolds and others for $400 million.
Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation-related claims in June 2025. The broader litigation settled in May 2026, but the fee dispute continued.
TheWrap reported that Liman later ruled Lively was entitled to seek compensation for defense costs under California’s Protecting Survivors From Weaponized Defamation Lawsuits Act.