Justin Baldoni has bolstered his defense team in his explosive legal feud with Blake Lively by hiring high-profile attorney Alexandra Shapiro.
Court filings confirm Shapiro, a New York-based criminal defense lawyer known for representing Sean “Diddy” Combs and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, has officially joined Baldoni’s legal roster.
Shapiro has formidable credentials to plead the case. A former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, she was one of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s initial clerks on the U.S. Supreme Court before co-founding a boutique litigation shop. She has developed a reputation since then for resolving some of the country’s most complicated and high-profilened disputes.
Her inclusion highlights the increasing stakes as Baldoni, 41, and Lively, 38, face off in a March 2026 trial. The battle started in December 2024, when Lively sued Baldoni and his coworkers at Wayfarer Studios for sexual harassment and retaliation while on the set of It Ends With Us. Baldoni countered the allegations and leveled a $400 million counterclaim for defamation and extortion, which was tossed in June 2025.
The legal clash grew more heated last week when U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman denied Baldoni’s request to extend discovery in order to depose Taylor Swift. Baldoni’s team had sought more time through October, arguing that Swift’s name appeared in earlier filings and warranted questioning, but the judge rejected the move.
Meanwhile, Lively’s attorneys continue pressing their own claims against Baldoni’s legal team. In May 2025, they filed a motion for sanctions against Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman, accusing him of violating a protective order by making “biased and inflammatory pretrial indictments” against Lively. They pointed to his controversial interview with PEOPLE, where Freedman provocatively suggested deposing the actress at Madison Square Garden, selling tickets, and livestreaming the session – a remark they condemned as a “ghoulish taunt.”
By August 2025, Lively’s lawyers filed for sanctions again, this time after details from her confidential deposition leaked to the media. These repeated clashes have intensified the already bitter pretrial sparring and raised questions about the conduct of Baldoni’s legal representatives.
The court has set the next hearing for October 21 when both sides are anticipated to continue their fight over discovery and sanctions. With Alexandra Shapiro now representing Baldoni, the celebrity case is poised to become even more combative as it speeds toward trial.
CTA: Will Justin Baldoni’s decision to hire Alexandra Shapiro turn the tide in his courtroom battle with Blake Lively? Weigh in as this Tinseltown courtroom drama plays out.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
