Justin Baldoni’s lawyer has confirmed that efforts to resolve the actor-director’s legal dispute with Blake Lively out of court have so far fallen short, leaving the former co-stars headed for trial later this year.
Speaking outside Manhattan’s Daniel Patrick Moynihan US Courthouse on Wednesday, February 11, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said a court-ordered settlement discussion held earlier in the day was “unsuccessful.”
While he acknowledged that a deal could still theoretically happen, he added that he did not know if the two sides would return to the negotiating table before the case goes to court.
When asked about the likelihood of facing Lively in court, Freedman made his intentions clear, saying he’s “looking forward to it.”
The comments came after Baldoni, 42, and Lively, 38, attended a private conference with Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave in New York to explore whether they could reach a settlement without proceeding to a full civil trial.
Baldoni arrived at the courthouse with his wife, Emily, while Lively entered on her own.
The settlement negotiations were moderated by Judge Lewis J. Liman, who suggested in December 2025 that the parties try to resolve the case privately, especially since the trial had already been pushed back.
The legal battle dates back to December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her following the production of It ends with us.
The film, which Baldoni directed and co-starred with Lively, was released in August 2024 and was based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.
Baldoni has denied all of Lively’s claims. He later filed countersuits against Lively and New York Timeswhich reported on her claims, but those cases were dismissed in June 2025.
Lively’s civil case was originally scheduled to go to court in March, but it was delayed to May 18 due to Judge Liman’s existing workload.
With settlement talks failing to reach an agreement, both camps now appear set for a courtroom showdown in May, unless a last-minute deal changes the course of the highly watched case.
