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The Justin Baldoni-Blake Lively legal drama has come to an end without the spectacle of a trial, and legal experts are saying both sides spent \u201can obscene amount\u201d of money in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n The former co-stars settled the matter two weeks before the trial was scheduled to kick off in New York, after filing multiple lawsuits and counter suits against each other. New York-based attorney Richard Schoenstein, who does not represent either party, <\/span>discussed<\/span><\/a> the likely financial fallout with People.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe combined legal expense is in the multiple millions. There are around 1,500 docket entries, countless lawyers on both sides, and these are high-priced firms billing well over $1,000 an hour,\u201d Schoenstein said, which fellow NY-based attorney Megan Thomas agreed with. She said the two parties spent \u201can obscene amount\u201d over the past two years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t give a number, but both sides had multiple lawyers,\u201d Thomas added.<\/span><\/p>\n Schoenstein added that mounting costs likely had a lot to do with Lively and Baldoni reaching a settlement. Plus, with both sides having their claims dismissed or reduced, it ended up not being worth the hassle.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think they settled because the case wasn\u2019t worth it at this point for either of them,\u201d Schoenstein told the outlet. \u201cThe case had been reduced \u2014 his counterclaims were dismissed, and her claims were substantially narrowed. There wasn\u2019t enough to gain from going to trial given the cost, which would have been extremely high, in the millions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The legal drama between the former costars started in December 2024 when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliation, and attempting to \u201cdestroy\u201d her reputation. This came after she starred opposite Baldoni in \u201cIt Ends With Us,\u201d a film he also directed.<\/span><\/p>\n Baldoni fervently denied the claims, responding with a countersuit against his co-star and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. He also sued The New York Times for $250 million in a defamation claim for an article about the situation, which he says is \u201crife with inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and omissions.\u201d The countersuit was dismissed by the judge in June 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n A federal judge in New York ruled in early April to dismiss 10 of Blake Lively\u2019s 13 claims against Baldoni, including those related to harassment, defamation, and conspiracy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As both cases fell apart and attorney fees kept climbing, the former co-stars finally came to a confidential settlement on Monday, May 4. It is rumored that the only ones who got paid in the end were the lawyers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe end product \u2014 the movie \u2018It Ends With Us\u2019 \u2014 is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors \u2014 and all survivors \u2014 is a goal that we stand behind,\u201d a statement from Baldoni and Lively provided to Fox News Digital <\/span>said<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cWe remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n