Justin Baldoni is adding a big name to his legal team.
According to court documents obtained by *People* on September 18th, the director of *It Ends With Us* has hired criminal defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro to help him with his legal issues with Blake Lively regarding the 2024 film.
Attorney Shapiro, known for previously defending Sean “Diddy” Combs and clerking for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has officially joined the legal team for Baldoni, according to reports filed last week.
TopMob News has reached out to Shapiro as well as Baldoni’s rep for comment but has not heard back.
Although a New York court dismissed John Corbett’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June – a suit where he claimed they defamed him – the legal battle isn’t finished yet.
According to legal filings reviewed by NBC News earlier this month, the actress’s lawyers are seeking to have Karl Baldoni pay her legal costs, arguing she successfully defended herself in the case. They also claim she deserves to be compensated for all damages caused by Baldoni, his company Wayfarer Studios, and his attorney, Bryan Freedman.
According to a court filing, the plaintiffs-represented by their lawyer, Mr. Freedman-pursued claims that lacked a factual or legal basis. The filing alleges this was a calculated effort to damage Ms. Lively’s reputation and harm her and her husband through the lawsuit.
Blake Lively’s representatives requested the court approve this matter before and separately from her trial against Jason Baldoni. She filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him in December, and the trial is scheduled for March 2026. Baldoni has denied all claims made against him.
For more on the ongoing legal saga, keep reading.
Four months after the movie version of Colleen Hoover’s novel *It Ends With Us* came out, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th, as reported by *The New York Times*. The complaint names Justin Baldoni and several people connected to his production company, Wayfarer Studios, as defendants.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, those named include Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath, Wayfarer cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace, and his company Street Relations Inc.
Lively claims that Baldoni and those associated with Wayfarer launched a deliberate campaign to discredit her after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on set. She alleges that she and other members of the cast and crew experienced invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate conduct by Baldoni and Heath.
The actress states this alleged campaign caused significant personal and professional damage.
The complaint details accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment, breach of contract, intentional emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with her career opportunities.
The following day, *The New York Times* published a story detailing what Lively claimed was a deliberate effort by Baldoni and his team to discredit her, referencing the complaint she filed with the CRD. The article included messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, all of which were part of Lively’s complaint. *The New York Times* also made the court documents available on its website. Lively told the publication, “I hope my lawsuit exposes these harmful tactics used against those who report wrongdoing and helps protect others who might be targeted.”
Following Blake Lively’s public complaint, Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing Antonio Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, strongly refuted her claims. In a statement to The New York Times, Freedman called Lively’s accusations “shameful” and “categorically false,” suggesting they were a deliberate attempt to repair damage to her own reputation stemming from her previous statements and actions during the film’s promotion. He emphasized that Lively’s interviews and public appearances were widely viewed and unedited, leading to public opinion forming independently. Freedman dismissed the claims as false, outrageous, and intentionally designed to harm Baldoni and Wayfarer’s reputations.
Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, explaining it happened before the film’s marketing began. He added that Wayfarer didn’t proactively retaliate or take action, but simply responded to media inquiries and monitored social media to ensure accurate reporting. He clarified that internal discussions and strategic planning with PR professionals are standard practice, and there was no evidence of proactive negative campaigning.
Following the publication of a New York Times article on December 21st, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with director Justin Baldoni, according to Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.
WME refuted claims that Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively’s husband, was the reason for the split. Baldoni later alleged in a lawsuit against The New York Times that Reynolds had pressured WME to drop him.
WME stated to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st that Baldoni’s claim of pressure at the *Deadpool & Wolverine* premiere was false. The agency, which also represents Reynolds and Lively, confirmed that Baldoni’s former agent wasn’t even at the premiere and that neither Reynolds nor Lively ever pressured them to end their relationship with Baldoni.
Following Blake Lively’s defamation lawsuit and a report in *The New York Times*, several well-known figures publicly voiced their support. Colleen Hoover, author of *It Ends With Us*, shared a message on Instagram thanking Lively for her honesty, kindness, and patience, and urging her to stay true to herself. Jenny Slate, who played a sister to Lively’s character, stated she stood with Lively, praising her as a leader and loyal friend. Slate described the revealed attack on Lively as disturbing and threatening, and commended her bravery. Brandon Sklenar, who played a love interest for Lively’s character, shared a link to the complaint published in *The New York Times* with the message, “For the love of God read this.” Additionally, Lively’s *Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants* co-stars – America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn – expressed their solidarity with her.
On December 23rd, Liz Plank announced she was leaving *The Man Enough Podcast*, which she co-hosted with Justin Baldoni and Heath. In an Instagram post, she thanked listeners for their trust and for creating a special community, saying she would miss them and cherished what they built together. While Plank didn’t explain her reasons for leaving, her departure followed accusations made against Baldoni and his colleagues. She expressed her continued commitment to the values the podcast represented and thanked her followers for their support over the past four years, stating that everyone deserves better. Plank also indicated she would share more information later and would continue to support those who speak out against injustice and hold others accountable.
Stephanie Jones, a former publicist for Baldoni, and her firm, Jonesworks LLC, are suing Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, and his current PR team – Abel and crisis communications specialist Nathan – in New York. The lawsuit, obtained by NBC News, claims Abel and Nathan secretly worked together for months to damage Jones and Jonesworks’ reputation, break contracts, and steal clients. They allegedly coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a negative media campaign against Baldoni’s co-star, then blamed Jones for the campaign despite her lack of involvement. According to Abel’s LinkedIn profile, she used to work at Jonesworks. The lawsuit further alleges that Abel and Nathan are now falsely accusing Jones as their own misconduct is revealed, and are continuing to harm her professional reputation. The suit also claims Baldoni and Wayfarer violated their contracts with Jonesworks and refused to resolve the dispute through private mediation. TopMob News has reached out to those named in the suit for comment.
According to a December 23rd report in *Variety*, Lively’s lawyers acquired the text messages published in *The New York Times* through a legal request to Jonesworks. Freedman, the attorney for Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and those connected to Wayfarer, stated that none of his clients were asked to provide information and that he plans to sue Jones for sharing messages from Abel’s phone with Lively’s legal team.
On December 31st, Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, and Street Relations filed a $250 million lawsuit against *The New York Times*. The suit claims the newspaper falsely reported on their actions following concerns raised by Lively about alleged misconduct on a film set.
The plaintiffs allege libel, invasion of privacy, and breach of contract, arguing *The New York Times* based its article on unverified claims from Lively’s complaint and misrepresented text messages and emails. They claim Lively, not them, engaged in a smear campaign.
*The New York Times* stated it will strongly defend the lawsuit, asserting its reporting was thorough, responsible, and based on a review of thousands of pages of documents, including accurately quoted text messages and emails. They maintain their role is to report the facts as they find them.
That day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment, Heath Meldrum, Jonathan Sarowitz, the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan and his company TAG, and Abel in New York.
The lawsuit, details of which were obtained by TopMob News, accuses the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, failing to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breaking their contract with Lively, intentionally causing her emotional distress, negligently causing her emotional distress, and violating her privacy.
These claims were initially made in a complaint Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) earlier in the month.
Regarding Baldoni’s lawsuit against *The New York Times*-which did not include Lively as a defendant-Lively’s attorneys stated to TopMob that her claims remain unchanged. They argued that Baldoni’s lawsuit falsely suggests Lively’s initial complaint was a tactic to avoid suing him directly, and that she never intended to pursue legal action. They pointed to the federal complaint Lively filed that same day as proof that this framing is inaccurate.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit against *The New York Times*, led by Baldoni, have indicated they intend to pursue further legal action. Court documents reveal they believe others were also involved and that this won’t be their only lawsuit. In a January 2nd interview with NBC News, Baldoni and their attorney, Freedman, confirmed they plan to sue Lively as well.
The controversy surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continued to spread online. Some social media users believed Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subtly mocked Baldoni in his upcoming film, *Deadpool & Wolverine*, through the character Nicepool. While Reynolds hasn’t addressed these claims, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, did speak out. In an interview on *The Megyn Kelly Show* posted on YouTube on January 7th, Freedman stated that if your spouse experiences sexual harassment, you shouldn’t joke about it or the person involved. Instead, you should take it seriously, file a complaint with HR, and follow proper legal channels. Making fun of the situation is unacceptable.
Since Lively filed her lawsuit, her lawyers say there’s been an increase in negative attacks against her. They emphasize that the case isn’t a simple disagreement or a matter of differing opinions, but a serious claim of sexual harassment and retaliation supported by evidence. They allege that Wayfarer and those connected to it have engaged in a deliberate campaign to discredit Lively after she tried to ensure a safe work environment on a film set.
Her legal team is urging people to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal, and they warn against common tactics used to deflect blame, such as accusing the victim or portraying them as the aggressor. They state that these methods minimize the seriousness of the allegations. They also clarified that public statements won’t be considered a defense and that they intend to pursue the case fully in court.
In a statement to TopMob, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, pointed out the irony of Blake Lively accusing Baldoni of using the media to his advantage, considering her team allegedly sent a heavily edited version of the complaint to *The New York Times* before it was even officially filed.
Freedman also stated they are releasing evidence demonstrating a pattern of bullying and threats related to taking control of the film. He claims this behavior is consistent with Lively’s past actions, where she allegedly used others to deliver threats and get her way, and that they have ample proof to support their claims.
On January 16th, Heath Baldoni, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm, Vision PR.
The lawsuit, obtained by TopMob News, claims the defendants engaged in civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Lively is specifically accused of breaching an implied agreement to act in good faith, while both Lively and Reynolds are accused of intentionally and negligently interfering with business relationships and financial opportunities.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign, and allege that she took control of the *It Ends With Us* movie promotion and, with the help of Reynolds, Sloane, and others, attempted to damage their reputations in the press after facing criticism for her marketing efforts. Lively maintains she followed Sony’s approved marketing plan.
The lawsuit further claims the defendants collaborated with *The New York Times* to publish a damaging and false news report, though the publication stands by its reporting.
Attorney Freedman stated that Blake Lively was either misinformed by her team or deliberately misrepresented the truth.
As a strong supporter of Lively, I’m deeply disturbed by the response to her courageous decision to come forward. Her legal team perfectly described this as a classic tactic of abusers – what they call DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender. It’s heartbreaking to see Baldoni trying to twist things around, suggesting Lively somehow caused problems on set and alienated the cast. But the truth is, others had negative experiences with him and Wayfarer too, and Sony actually *asked* Lively to oversee the final cut of the film, which ultimately was a huge success! What’s most appalling is the way they’re trying to blame her – implying she ‘wanted it’ or that it was her fault somehow, even resorting to victim-blaming about her appearance. It’s a desperate attempt to distract from the real issue – the abuse itself – and focus all the attention on her. Her team is absolutely right: this strategy won’t work, and the evidence will prove she’s telling the truth.
Lawyers for actor Justin Baldoni have released footage from the filming of *It Ends With Us*, arguing it proves he did not act inappropriately towards co-star Blake Lively. They claim the scene was meant to depict a loving connection and that both actors behaved professionally and respectfully.
Lively’s legal team, however, disagrees, stating the video actually supports her claims. They allege Baldoni improvised the actions, without discussing them with Lively beforehand, and that the footage clearly shows her discomfort and attempts to create distance. They believe any woman who has experienced inappropriate workplace behavior will recognize Lively’s reaction.
The couple asked the judge handling their case to restrict what Freedman-Baldoni’s lawyer-could publicly say, hoping to prevent any unfair actions during the legal battle.
A seven-minute voice memo reportedly sent by director Baldoni to actress Lively during the making of *It Ends With Us* surfaced online. The memo seems to discuss a rooftop scene Lively had revised for the film, and how those changes were brought to him in a meeting with Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and singer Taylor Swift. Baldoni praised their collaborative creativity, saying, “The three of you guys together, it’s unbelievable.” He also apparently apologized for initially being hesitant about her script changes, admitting, “I f-ked up. I will admit and apologize when I fail.”
A court date of March 9, 2026, was scheduled one month after Lively officially sued Baldoni.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely. Recently, Steven Baldoni updated his legal claim to include *The New York Times* alongside Blake Lively, her representatives, and her PR firm, Vision PR. According to court documents, Baldoni alleges Lively and her team spent months working together to intentionally spread false information to the *Times*. He claims the newspaper then selectively used and manipulated their conversations, taking things out of context to create a misleading narrative.
Baldoni published a website detailing his lawsuit against Lively, including the latest version of his legal complaint and a chronological overview of key events. This website featured what Baldoni claimed were screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and himself.
This launch followed a statement by Baldoni’s legal team, made a month prior, that they intended to publicly release all text messages between the parties involved.
In an interview with NBC News on January 2nd, Baldoni’s attorney stated their goal was to present all the evidence so the public could draw their own conclusions about the case.
Lively’s lawyers have updated her lawsuit, stating that two other women who worked on the movie *It Ends With Us* also felt uneasy about Baldoni’s behavior on set.
The updated complaint, which TopMob News obtained, asserts that Lively wasn’t the only one to raise concerns about Baldoni. It claims that these issues, along with those from Lively, were recorded starting in May 2023, and that Baldoni admitted to receiving them in writing at the time. He was aware that multiple women were uncomfortable with his behavior.
The complaint doesn’t reveal the names of these two witnesses, citing a climate of threats and harassment created by the defendants’ response to Lively’s claims.
Freedman, representing the defendants, dismissed the updated complaint as containing unreliable hearsay, and suggested that the women in question are now unwilling to support Lively’s accusations publicly.
Following accusations from Baldoni that Sloane spread false and damaging rumors painting him as a “sexual predator,” and that Sloane organized a negative campaign at Lively’s behest, Sloane requested the lawsuit be dismissed.
According to legal documents obtained by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claims the accusations against her are completely unfounded and that she’s been unfairly included in the lawsuit as a tactic to divert attention from the claims made by Lively.
Lively hired Nick Shapiro, a former Deputy Chief of Staff for the CIA, to help with the legal strategy for the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit happening in New York. This information was shared with Variety on February 28th by a member of Lively’s legal team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
David Shapiro previously worked for the CIA during the Obama administration from 2013 to 2015. He later held leadership positions at Visa, overseeing global security and communications, and at Airbnb, where he led crisis management. After three years with Airbnb, he established his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, *The New York Times* has asked a court to dismiss them from a $400 million lawsuit. The lawsuit also involves individuals named Lively and Baldoni, as well as Sloane and their company.
In a court filing, the newspaper claimed that Baldoni’s team was presenting a biased story that had attracted significant media attention, but insisted that *The Times* shouldn’t be involved in the conflict. According to court documents obtained by *Deadline*, *The New York Times’* lawyers also pointed out that Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer initially sued them for $250 million, but that case was dropped when they were included in a larger $400 million lawsuit.
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has temporarily paused the exchange of information and documents in a case involving *The New York Times*, following the newspaper’s request. Court documents obtained by TopMob News show the judge granted the stay while he considers the newspaper’s motion to dismiss the case.
Judge Liman stated that *The New York Times* presented a strong argument that its motion to dismiss is likely to be successful. He also believes that delaying the exchange of information won’t unfairly harm the opposing side.
A spokesperson for *The New York Times* told TopMob News that they are pleased with the court’s decision, which acknowledges the important First Amendment principles at stake and prevents unnecessary burdens from the case, which they believe should not have been filed in the first place.
Following accusations from Baldoni that Lively was using her friendship with Taylor Swift to gain more say in the film adaptation of It Ends With Us – and after Baldoni’s lawyers attempted to subpoena Swift – a spokesperson for the singer responded.
Let me clear things up – there’s been a lot of buzz, but I can tell you definitively that Taylor Swift had absolutely no involvement with this movie. As a source confirmed to TopMob News, she wasn’t on set at any point, didn’t have a say in who starred, didn’t work on the music, and never even saw a cut of the film. It’s a complete myth that she was involved creatively in any way.
Taylor Swift allowed the film to use her song, ‘My Tears Ricochet,’ explained her representative. Because her contribution was simply licensing a song – something 19 other artists also did – they believe this legal request is an attempt to generate publicity and sensationalize the case using Taylor Swift’s name, rather than focusing on the actual facts.
Baldoni’s attorneys withdrew their request later that month, per Lively’s legal team.
The judge dismissed the lawsuit brought against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Sloane, Sloane’s company Vision PR, and *The New York Times*. The judge determined that Baldoni and his lawyers didn’t provide enough evidence to support their claims of defamation or civil extortion.
After the lawsuit against her was dropped, Lively spoke on Instagram about how damaging these kinds of cases can be. She explained that while she was able to win her case, many people don’t have the money or support to defend themselves when they’re unfairly sued.
She expressed her love and thanks to everyone who supported her, saying she was grateful for both those she knew and those she didn’t, and promised to always support them in return.
Baldoni’s lawyer told TopMob News that Lively’s claim of winning is inaccurate.
The lawyer stated that this case centers around false claims of sexual harassment, subsequent retaliation, and a fabricated attempt to damage Ms. Lively’s reputation. He pointed out that Ms. Lively’s legal team has labeled this alleged campaign ‘untraceable’ – a description he argues is simply because the events never actually occurred.
Lively gave a deposition at her lawyers’ office in New York. While some news outlets described it as a tense confrontation with Baldoni, her legal team quickly objected to reports suggesting she required a large group of supporting witnesses.
According to Lively’s lawyer, Baldoni was present in the room with the other people she was suing, and their lawyers too.
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2025-09-19 03:51