Justin Baldoni's lawyer slams Blake Lively's 'false' victory claim after court dismisses lawsuit
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After a federal judge dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Blake Lively, her team declared victory and shared emotional posts.
But Baldoni’s legal team says the fight is far from over.
Justin Baldoni's lawyer slams Blake Lively’s team for misleading narrative
The 'It Ends With Us' director’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, broke the silence on June 10, claiming the ruling still allows parts of the lawsuit to proceed.
“Ms Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false,” Freedman said in a June 10 statement shared with multiple outlets. “So let us be clear about the latest ruling," he added.
Freedman pointed out that while some claims were dismissed, others may be amended.
“While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations,” Freedman stated as per People.
He added that the core of the lawsuit remains unchanged. “This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened,” said Freedman.
Justin Baldoni’s attorney plans to move ahead with Blake Lively’s deposition
The judge gave Justin Baldoni’s team until June 23 to revise their claims of breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract. Bryan Freedman confirmed they intend to move forward.
“Most importantly, Ms Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking,” Freedman stated.
Blake Lively labels lawsuit against her ‘sham’
Blake Lively’s legal team responded to the ruling by calling it “a total victory and a complete vindication.”
They stated, “As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it.”
Lively, who initially sued Baldoni in January over emotional distress and lost wages during the filming of 'It Ends With Us', shared a personal statement on her Instagram Story on June 9 following the dismissal.
“Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,” Lively wrote. "While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back."
She also said she was “more resolved than ever” to advocate for women’s rights and concluded her statement by thanking those who supported her: “I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you.”
