Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to pay costs to Blake Lively
Blake Lively has been awarded $363,245.40 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206.35 in costs.
Blake Lively has been awarded $407,451.75 in costs stemming from Justin Baldoni's countersuit.
The 39-year-old actress and Baldoni, her It Ends with Us co-star, settled their broad litigation dispute in May - but a federal judge has now awarded $363,245.40 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206.35 in costs.
Lively had initially requested $8,035,040.88 for fighting Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios' defamation countersuit.
But US District Judge Lewis J. Liman ultimately found that Lively was not entitled to recover fees for the litigation as a whole.
Instead, the Hollywood star - who is married to actor Ryan Reynolds - was told by the judge that she could recover reasonable fees and costs connected to defending herself against Baldoni's defamation claim.
Liman wrote: "The number of hours for which Lively seeks reimbursement is unreasonable.
"Media relations were not integral to defending the defamation claim brought against Lively. Accordingly, time spent on media relations and press coverage is not compensable."
Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, Lively's legal team, framed the verdict as a win for their client, describing the ruling as "historic".
In a statement given to People, they said: "This first-ever award of fees and costs under this California law is historic, and demonstrates that there are real consequences of bringing retaliatory lawsuits.
"As we have said from day one, Blake Lively’s case was never about money – it was about accountability."
By contrast, Bryan Freedman, the attorney who represents Baldoni and Wayfarer, argued that the judge's verdict "speaks for itself".
Freedman subsequently described the verdict as a "significant victory for my clients" and one that "sends a clear message".
He said: "Judge Liman clearly considered the ‘outrageous and unreasonable’ $8 million plus demand and, in rejecting it, awarded only five percent of the amount sought in legal fees and costs. The ruling is a significant victory for my clients and sends a clear message that, no matter how powerful you may be, the courtroom is not a place to take advantage of the law for your own personal gain."
