Blake Lively Gets $407K in Baldoni Legal Fees After Judge Cuts Her $8M Request

Blake Lively has been awarded $407,000 (about £299,000) in attorneys' fees and costs after a US federal judge cut her more than $8 million (about £5.8 million) request to a small fraction of the amount sought.

The order covers part of the cost of defending Justin Baldoni's dismissed defamation and extortion case, rather than damages over the parties' underlying dispute.

US District Judge Lewis J Liman awarded Lively $363,000 (around £266,000) in attorneys' fees and $44,206.35 (approximately £32,000) in costs. Her application totalled $8 million, equivalent to about £5.8 million, meaning the final award represents roughly 5 per cent of the sum requested.

The central reason for the reduction was the judge's finding that Lively's lawyers' hourly rates were not unreasonable, while the number of billed hours submitted for reimbursement was. Liman also refused to award fees related to media‑relations spending and some travel costs.

Why Blake Lively's Fees Request Was Reduced

The order allows Lively to recover part of her legal expenditure from Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios. It does not change the terms of the separate settlement reached by the parties earlier this year.

Lively sought $7 million (about £5.1 million) in attorneys' fees and $540,000 (about £396,000) in costs. She was allowed to pursue the request under a California law introduced during the #MeToo era after Baldoni's lawsuit was dismissed.

The ruling draws a distinction between the lawyers' rates and the volume of work submitted for reimbursement. That finding explains why Lively's $8 million (about £5.8 million) request was reduced to $407,000 (about £299,000).

It also answers the main question raised by the award: Lively obtained some costs, but the court rejected the bulk of the request because it considered the billed hours unreasonable. The judge separately excluded particular expenses, including media‑relations work and some travel.

Justin Baldoni Lawsuit Background

Lively and Baldoni settled their years‑long legal dispute in early May, avoiding what had been expected to be a trial in New York.

The terms were not disclosed, and a source familiar with the case stated that no money changed hands.

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the production of the 2024 film 'It Ends With Us', which he directed.

She also alleged that Wayfarer Studios retaliated after she raised concerns about alleged misconduct on the set.

Baldoni denied Lively's allegations and filed a countersuit in January 2025 against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The action alleged defamation and extortion, with Baldoni arguing that the pair had sought to damage his reputation.

He also accused Lively of using her grievances as a way to 'seize control' of the film. Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit against Lively, as well as his separate defamation case against The New York Times, last year.

Lively's Lawyers Respond To Ruling

Lively's attorneys, Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, said in a statement that the case 'was never about money' and was instead about accountability. They said she had 'lifted the curtain' for other alleged victims and set a precedent for people to come forward with similar claims.

The lawyers also said the outcome showed the legal system could remain a force for accountability despite the influence of social media. A representative for Baldoni did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

The court's decision is limited to the legal fees and costs claimed by Lively after the dismissal of Baldoni's case. It does not determine the merits of Lively's allegations, which Baldoni denied, or disclose terms of the May settlement.

The ruling draws a distinction between the lawyers' rates and the volume of work submitted for reimbursement. That finding explains why Lively's $8 million (about £5.8 million) request was reduced to $407,451.75 (about £299,000).