Blake Lively is seeking $8.04 million in legal fees from Justin Baldoni following the dismissal of his lawsuit against her.
According to the filing, the Gossip Girl actress is seeking $7.49 million in legal fees and $539,514 in litigation costs after successfully defending the Wayfarer lawsuit.
Her attorneys said the work required to defeat the lawsuit was "comprehensive and necessary to achieve the complete win that was secured," adding that Lively "has paid, and continues to pay" her legal bills.
They also said she will seek "any additional attorneys' fees" incurred in litigating the fee request itself.
The filing contends that "significant press attention, with thousands of indexed and syndicated media articles," pointing to widespread media coverage and an extensive discovery process involving thousands of documents.
Lively may have named the figure she is seeking, but the courtroom battle is not yet finished.
Judge Lewis J. Liman has directed Baldoni, 42, and Wayfarer Studios to respond by July 13, after which he will decide whether to grant the request in full, reduce the amount or reject it altogether.
Blake Lively’s eligibility to recover legal fee
The request follows a recent ruling by Judge Lewis J. Liman, who found that Lively is eligible to recover legal fees and costs under California Civil Code Section 47.1.
Liman ruled that Lively qualified as the prevailing defendant under the statute, making her eligible to recover legal fees related to Baldoni's defamation claims.
He also ruled that any request for treble or punitive damages would need to be pursued in a separate lawsuit or counterclaim, a right preserved under the settlement agreement.
The legal fight originated from the making and promotion of It Ends With Us and grew into competing lawsuits before the parties reached a settlement in May.
Under the settlement, the broader litigation was resolved, but Lively's request for legal fees and costs was left for the court to decide.
In June, Judge Liman ruled she could seek reimbursement for attorneys' fees and litigation costs, prompting her legal team to hail the decision as "another complete victory and a total vindication."
"The Court has again recognized that Ms. Lively was sued in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment and retaliation and has awarded her attorneys' fees and costs that will be paid by the Wayfarer Parties," the attorneys said in a statement shared with PEOPLE at the time.
Court denied Blake Lively's request for treble
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni's lawyer, pointed out in June that the court denied Lively's request for treble and punitive damages, maintaining that any fee award would be narrowly limited.
“Ms. Lively was only awarded limited attorney fees for a single claim as part of a case that lasted only a matter of months, nothing more,” he said.
Freedman added, “Notwithstanding that all of her claims were thrown out, Ms. Lively then pivoted to exploit a California law intended to protect real victims in what proved to be a fruitless mission to obtain damages. Once again, she failed.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni case
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their explosive legal battle over the film It Ends With Us in May 2026, dropping their respective harassment and defamation lawsuits right before trial.
