Lawyer expresses uncertainty about settlement talks between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

Justin Baldoni’s lawyer confirmed Wednesday that attempts to settle the actor-director’s legal dispute with Blake Lively outside of court have so far failed, leaving the former co-stars on course for a high-profile trial later this year.

Speaking outside Manhattan’s Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse on February 11, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman said a court-ordered settlement discussion held earlier in the day was “unsuccessful”.

Freedman suggested that, while a resolution was still possible, he was unsure whether both sides would pursue further negotiations before the case reached trial.

Although settlement talks are often seen as a last opportunity to avoid a drawn-out legal battle, Freedman made it clear he is prepared to take the matter to court if necessary. When asked about the likelihood of facing Lively in court, he said he was “looking forward to it.”

The remarks came after Baldoni, 42, and Lively, 38, attended a private legal conference in New York and met with Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. The closed-door session was intended to determine whether the two parties could reach an agreement without proceeding to a full civil trial.

Baldoni arrived at the courthouse accompanied by his wife, Emily, while Lively entered alone. The settlement talks were held under the direction of Judge Lewis J. Liman, who had previously urged both parties in December 2025 to explore a private resolution, especially as the trial schedule had already been adjusted. The judge’s suggestion came amid delays and growing public attention surrounding the case.

The legal dispute began in December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment. She also alleged that he orchestrated a smear campaign against her after the production of It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.

The movie, directed by Baldoni and starring both him and Lively, was released in August 2024 and quickly became a major pop culture topic, further highlighting the legal conflict between its two leads.

Baldoni has denied all accusations made by Lively. In response, he later filed countersuits against both Lively and The New York Times, which had reported on her allegations. However, those legal actions were dismissed in June 2025, narrowing the dispute back down to Lively’s civil lawsuit.

The case was initially scheduled for trial in March, but the timeline was pushed back. Judge Liman delayed the proceedings until May 18, citing his existing workload.

Now, with Wednesday’s settlement talks failing to produce a breakthrough, the case appears set to move forward. Both sides are expected to begin preparing for a courtroom showdown in May, unless a last-minute agreement alters the course of the closely watched dispute.

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