Justin Baldoni's Legal War With Blake Lively Escalates After Hiring Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Trial Lawyer

Actor and director Justin Baldoni has added powerhouse defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro to his legal team as his ongoing legal fight with actress Blake Lively grows more intense.
Court documents filed Monday show that Shapiro has officially joined Baldoni's defense.
She will work alongside his current legal team, including well-known attorney Bryan Freedman.
Shapiro, a former federal prosecutor and Supreme Court clerk, is also defending rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs in his ongoing criminal case, People reported.
Baldoni, 41, and Lively, 38, are set to face each other in court next March over claims that began during the production of the film "It Ends With Us."
Lively sued Baldoni in late 2024, accusing him and his team at Wayfarer Studios of harassment and creating an unsafe environment on set. She also alleges that Baldoni retaliated against her after she spoke out.
In response, Baldoni denied the claims and filed a $400 million countersuit for defamation, which a judge dismissed in June.
Justin Baldoni’s lawyer stated that the decision to hire PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan stemmed from “multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production.”
— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 21, 2024
According to TMZ, Blake Lively’s demands included:
• no more showing nude videos or images of women to… pic.twitter.com/GZFYxzlQBd
New Complaint Filed as Baldoni Strengthens Legal Team
The addition of Shapiro to Baldoni's team comes at a critical time. According to PageSix, just weeks ago, another individual — whose name was kept private — filed a complaint claiming they experienced "repeated, negative interactions" with Baldoni, including verbal abuse.
These new claims add to the growing tension around the case.
Shapiro's involvement suggests Baldoni is preparing for a serious legal showdown.
She is known for taking on complex, high-profile cases, and her current work defending Diddy — who was recently found guilty of prostitution-related charges — shows her ability to handle tough legal battles.
Despite the legal shake-up, Bryan Freedman remains Baldoni's lead attorney, and both he and Shapiro will now represent Baldoni and his co-defendants, including Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath and publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel.
Meanwhile, Lively's team has filed motions accusing Freedman of breaking court rules by leaking private deposition details.
The court is expected to address those issues at the next hearing, set for October 21.
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