The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is still in motion nearly a year after it was initiated. As of late, the two actors – who starred together in the 2024 film It Ends with Us – have seen their share of wins and losses amid the proceedings. Baldoni just recently saw a setback after a ruling made by a federal judge. As the skirmish rages on, there’s been a notable development within Baldoni’s camp and, due to this turn of events, his situation with Lively now has a key link to the ongoing legal issues of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Justin Baldoni (41) reportedly just made a change to his legal team by adding New York-based attorney Alexandra Shapiro, per court records seen by People. What’s notable about this is that Shapiro has also served as one of Diddy’s lawyers and remains a member of his team. As of this writing, Shapiro herself has not spoken out publicly about joining Justin Baldoni’s legal defense team and whether or not she will do so remains to be seen.
It would be fair to say that Alexandra Shapiro has had a lot to do this past year due to Sean Combs’ legal matters. Combs stood trial earlier this summer during which he faced multiple charges, and his legal team shifted strategies a few times. (Ultimately, the defense rested after less than 30 minutes.) Combs received a mixed verdict, as he was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of sex-trafficking and racketeering (RICO) charges. The “Bad Boy for Life” performer is being sentenced this fall.
The Baldoni/Lively legal battle is a different matter compared to Diddy’s. It began in December 2024 when Lively (38) filed a legal complaint against Baldoni and his production company, in which she accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her on the set of IEWU. Lively also alleged that Baldoni joined forces with a PR firm to launch a smear campaign against her, and the actress later filed suit against all involved for all of the aforementioned claims. Baldoni (who directed IEWU) vehemently denied the allegations and later countersued Lively and others for $400 million on the grounds of extortion, defamation and more.
Over the last few months, Justin Baldoni has seen his share of setbacks amid his battle with his former co-star. In June, Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit was dismissed, in what marked a huge win for his ex-scene partner. The $250 million libel suit Baldoni filed against the New York Times – which published the initial claims against him – was dismissed as well. Last week, federal judge Lewis Liman also denied Baldoni and his legal team’s request to extend the discovery deadline for Taylor Swift, who’s set to be deposed.
All the while, Blake Lively saw some wins, which actually came shortly before the first anniversary of It Ends with Us’ release in theaters. In August, Judge Liman chastised Team Baldoni for reportedly attempting to “invite public speculation and scandal.” Those comments came after the actor’s lawyers released a lengthy transcript of Lively’s deposition. With that, Liman ordered that the deposition be struck from the record.
These recent developments make it even more challenging to say when and how this ongoing legal battle will end, though it seems to be headed to court. It’s already been alleged that both Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have spent a lot of money (and time) in the process of combatting one another. As for how much Alexandra Shapiro is charging Baldoni for her services, the general public isn’t privy to those details. While Lively and Baldoni’s case continues, Shapiro’s other famous client, Diddy, will be sentenced on October 3.
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