Blake Lively seeks $8 million in legal fees after Justin Baldoni lawsuit dismissal

Blake Lively has filed a request seeking more than $8 million in legal fees and litigation costs after successfully defending herself against Justin Baldoni's defamation-related lawsuit.

Court documents filed on June 29 show the It Ends With Us actress is seeking a total of $8,035,040.88, comprising approximately $7.5 million in attorneys' fees and more than $539,000 in litigation expenses incurred while defending the case.

According to the filing, Lively's legal team argued the work required to defeat the lawsuit was extensive due to the case's high-profile nature, widespread media attention and substantial discovery process, which involved thousands of documents from multiple parties. 

The attorneys added that Lively has already paid, and continues to pay, the legal costs associated with the proceedings.

The request follows a ruling by Judge Lewis J. Liman, who determined that Lively is entitled to seek reimbursement for legal fees under a California law designed to protect individuals from retaliatory defamation lawsuits after reporting alleged harassment or discrimination. 

However, the judge denied her requests for punitive and treble damages.

According to Daily Mail, the legal dispute stemmed from the production and promotion of It Ends With Us, with both Lively and Baldoni filing competing lawsuits before reaching a broader settlement in May. 

Furthermore, Baldoni's legal team has argued that Lively's courtroom victory was limited and maintains that any fee award should be reduced. 

Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have until July 13 to respond before the court decides whether to grant the full amount requested.

Related: Blake Lively to face intense career backlash after legal setback