$8M Fee Dispute
Justin Baldoni Urges Judge to Reduce Blake Lively's $8M Attorney Fee Claim.
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Lively's lawyers are accused of including fees for researching Blake Lively's own potential liability (perjury) and a Rule 11 motion that the court had already denied, described by Baldoni's team as an 'over-inclusive' request that goes beyond defending the defamation claim.
2
Baldoni's side argues the $8 million figure should be reduced to a six-figure sum if any fees are awarded, arguing the request is excessive and pointing to a benchmark in which The New York Times sought roughly $181,623 in fees for a similar motion to dismiss the same defamation claim.
3
The fee fight hinges on statutory language that the 'successful defense of the litigation' covers the entire consolidated litigation, not just a single claim, a point Lively's side disputes even though the judge consolidated the cases.
4
Baldoni's filing paints the fee request as overstaffed, citing 7,070.20 billable hours billed by 82 timekeepers and describing the billing as 'about 20 times what courts have previously approved in comparable high-profile defamation cases.'
Justin Baldoni is asking a federal judge to throw out or sharply cut Blake Lively's demand for more than $8 million in legal fees, calling the request "anything but a typical fee motion," according to Yahoo News. The fee fight stems from Baldoni's failed defamation suit against Lively, which ended in a May settlement where Lively received no money but a judge ordered Baldoni to cover her legal costs.
Baldoni's team argues the $8 million figure is wildly inflated and should be slashed to a six-figure sum at most. Lively's side fires back that the law entitles her to fees covering the entire legal fight, not just one claim.
Baldoni Says the Bill Is Padded and Out of Proportion
Baldoni's filing zeroes in on the sheer size of Lively's legal bill. Her team logged 7,070.20 billable hours spread across 82 separate timekeepers, according to Film News. Baldoni's lawyers call that figure "about 20 times what courts have previously approved in comparable high-profile defamation cases."
As a benchmark, Baldoni's team points to The New York Times, which sought roughly $181,623 in fees for defending the same defamation claim through a motion to dismiss. Lively's team is asking for more than 44 times that amount. Baldoni's side says that gap alone shows the request has ballooned far beyond anything reasonable.
Fees for Perjury Research and a Denied Motion Draw Sharp Criticism
Baldoni's filing accuses Lively's lawyers of billing for work that had nothing to do with beating the defamation suit. Specifically, it says the bill includes fees for researching Lively's own potential perjury liability and for preparing a Rule 11 motion — a legal challenge to the opposing side's filings — that the court already rejected, according to Yahoo News.
Baldoni's team calls the overall request "over-inclusive." His lawyers argue that charging for those efforts crosses a clear line. You cannot, they say, bill the other side for work you did to protect yourself or for motions the judge already turned down.
Lively's Camp Says the Law Covers the Whole Fight, Not One Claim
A source close to Lively pushed back hard on Baldoni's framing, according to CA News Yahoo. That source argues the relevant statute allows fees for the "successful defense of the litigation" as a whole — not just a single defamation claim. Because the judge consolidated the two cases into one proceeding, Lively's side says the full bill is fair game.
The legal question now sits with the federal judge. If the court sides with Baldoni, the award could drop from $8 million to somewhere in the hundreds of thousands. If it sides with Lively, Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, could owe the full amount.
Baldoni Speaks Out as the Legal Ordeal Drags On
The fee dispute is the last major unresolved piece of a case that captivated Hollywood for months. Baldoni has only recently begun speaking publicly about the experience, describing a painful stretch for his family while the matter dragged on past the May settlement, according to Malaysia Yahoo News.
The settlement itself gave Lively no money. But the fee ruling, when it comes, will determine how much the ordeal ultimately costs Baldoni out of pocket. A judge's decision on the disputed $8 million could arrive in the coming weeks.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
37
Articles
132
Reach
169
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor