Justin Baldoni
PR Rep Strikes Back Against Former Boss
… Exposes Alleged ‘Bitter Revenge’ Tactics
Published
Justin Baldoni‘s PR representative, Jennifer Abel, is hitting back at her former employer, Stephanie Jones, with a countersuit after being sued by Jones in December.
Abel has enlisted the services of Baldoni’s reputable attorney, Bryan Freedman, who alleges that Stephanie instigated the legal dispute involving Justin and Blake Lively over their film, “It Ends with Us.”
TMZ.com
Freedman has filed counterclaims on Abel’s behalf against Jones, who serves as the CEO of the PR firm Jonesworks, still representing Justin.
In a statement to TMZ, Freedman states, “Stephanie Jones set off this chain of events by violating basic privacy rights and betraying the trust of her clients.”
Freedman alleges that Stephanie has a history of creating crisis situations for departing clients, including sharing confidential information with Leslie Sloane after being terminated by Wayfarer for misconduct.
TMZ.com
Freedman suggests that Lively fell into Jones’ scheme of seeking revenge against Abel, disregarding the impact on her own long-time client.
The attorney asserts, “We will continue fighting until our clients are vindicated and compensated for the damages they have suffered.”
In the recent court filings submitted on Thursday, Abel responds to Jones’ lawsuit against her, Baldoni, and crisis manager Melissa Nathan, alleging invasion of privacy, false light, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Baldoni has been involved in several high-profile lawsuits recently, including a $400 million legal action against Blake, Ryan Reynolds, and Leslie Sloane filed by Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios.
In the lawsuit, Baldoni alleges that the trio orchestrated a smear campaign against him to take control of the movie “It Ends with Us.”
Lively was the first to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, claiming he sexually harassed her on set and later defamed her in the media.
TMZ.com
Kristin Tahler, attorney representing Jones, states, “Ms. Jones’ lawsuit is based entirely on facts and concrete evidence. That suit clearly shows that Jen Abel conspired with Melissa Nathan and others to steal confidential documents, clients, and staff in an attempt to destroy the business Ms. Jones built over decades.”
Tahler adds, “Abel, Nathan, Baldoni, and their co-defendants attempted to achieve these outcomes through bullying, distortion, and disparagement. These facts are supported by messages provided in the lawsuit we filed months ago and cannot be credibly disputed.
Tahler concludes, “With no facts or evidence, we see a familiar playbook – smearing our client, culminating in the work of fiction presented as the counterclaims filed yesterday.”
