In December 2024, Blake Lively initiated a civil lawsuit citing numerous grievances. The following month, Justin Baldoni responded with a countersuit, but his legal action was dismissed by October 2025.
A judge encountered a technical issue regarding Lively’s sexual harassment allegations, determining that they could not proceed in federal court because she was classified as an independent contractor. Additionally, the claim was incorrectly filed in California, although the filming of It Ends With Us occurred in New Jersey.
Judge Liman decided that a jury would hear Lively’s claims of retaliation, alleging Baldoni hired publicists to spread negative stories about her after their collaboration on the film failed.
Following the decision, Baldoni’s lawyers, Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach, expressed satisfaction to the Daily Mail: “We’re very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims…These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law, and voluminous evidence that was provided.”
Sigrid McCawley, representing Lively, remarked to the outlet, “Sexual harassment isn’t going forward, not because the defendants did nothing wrong, but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
