Justin Baldoni‘s attorney is offering more insight after a judge ruled to dismiss 10 of Blake Lively’s 13 claims against the actor in an ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit.
“Since the first day of this case, when Justin and the other defendants were blindsided by these allegations, the legal team on the ground from the beginning have worked extremely long days and nights defending this case through transparency by releasing the actual truthful text messages, and by welcoming and facilitating the release of all documents exhibiting the truth,” Bryan Freedman said in a statement to TMZ on Friday, April 3.
Freedman noted that the defendants “were not afraid of the truth.”
“The plan was not only to speak the truth but to also show that same truth over and over again through the presentation of actual evidence,” he continued. “Neither Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath nor any of the other defendants have engaged in the sexual harassment of Blake Lively.”
In his response, Freedman called it “gratifying” to see how the court ruling “confirms what the legal team believed from day one,” adding, “Despite our clients being accused of DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) in defending these claims and despite our client being referred to in writing as a predator, what I said, on behalf of our client’s day one and every day since then is true. Our clients are very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged. As such, they have deserved a vigorous defense which was led through transparency.”
News broke on Thursday, April 2, that Judge Lewis Liman ruled to dismiss the majority of Lively’s claims against Baldoni, 42. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the judge threw out Lively’s allegations of harassment, defamation and conspiracy.
Three claims remain ongoing in the case, including breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation. The remaining claims can proceed to trial.
Lively’s attorney Michael Gottlieb addressed Freedman’s response to the development in a statement to Us.
“It is completely unsurprising that Bryan Freedman does not understand the court’s actual ruling. He didn’t even argue the summary judgment motion he’s now spinning, had to bring in another law firm for the trial, and just last week was reprimanded by the court for having filed legally frivolous claims,” he said. “What the Court actually decided yesterday is that Blake Lively provided evidence to go to trial on her core claims: that she spoke out against what she believed was sexual harassment on the set, and suffered retaliation that harmed her reputation as a result.”
The statement continued: “The court held, in painstaking detail, that Ms. Lively provided sufficient evidence of all the following: (1) She privately opposed and negotiated changes to on-set behavior by Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath; (2) She reasonably believed, in good faith, that the behavior she complained about privately was unlawful sexual harassment; (3) Baldoni, Heath, and Wayfarer Studios understood that her claims amounted to sexual harassment allegations; and (4) They crossed the line in response and took steps that harmed her reputation and career.”
Gottlieb noted that they are “looking forward” to the Lively and Baldoni trial going to trial on May 18.
“And here is what the Court actually said about Ms. Lively’s sexual harassment claims: “a person in her position could have understood the workplace to at times reflect a gendered and sexualized view of women and a disregard for their privacy sufficient to make it reasonable to complain about a hostile work environment based on sex or gender,” he continued. “These claims have always been the beating heart of Ms. Lively’s case. They are why she filed her lawsuit. And because of yesterday’s decision, all of those claims will be heard by the jury.”
The statement concluded: “The Court’s ruling that Ms. Lively’s state and federal harassment claims could not go to trial was about legal issues rather than an endorsement of the defendants’ conduct. The court held that Ms. Lively’s sexual harassment claims could not go to a jury because Ms. Lively did not sign a contract, that she is an independent contractor instead of an employee, and that the offensive conduct occurred in New Jersey instead of California. The fact that Bryan Freedman is claiming exoneration based on legal technicalities while facing trial next month tells you everything you need to know. ”
Lively, 38, originally sued Baldoni in December 2024, accusing her It Ends With Us costar and director of sexual harassment and orchestrating an alleged smear campaign against her. Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations and subsequently countersued Lively. His lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in June 2025.
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