Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni: Actress Recruits Former CIA Deputy As Crisis Manager Amid IEWU Legal Battle Heating Up

Blake Lively's legal war against Justin Baldoni just got even more tense as the actress hired a former CIA Deputy to her legal team. Keep reading to know the details.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 01, 2025 | 12:38 AM IST | 8.3K

CC: Instagram

Trigger Warning: The following article contains mentions of sexual harassment.

Blake Lively has recruited crisis PR pro Nick Shapiro to represent her in her legal war with It Ends With Us actor-director Justin Baldoni. Shapiro was a CIA deputy chief of staff.

Variety reported that Lively's legal team at Willkie Farr and Gallagher now includes Shapiro offering counsel to her regarding the legal communications strategy associated with her ongoing lawsuits.

Per the outlet, Lively's legal team has stated, "The litigation team for Ms. Lively retained Mr. Shapiro to advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York."

The Gossip Girl alum's lawsuit commenced in December when she filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment by Baldoni during the making of It Ends With Us in 2023. She also claimed he started a retaliatory smear campaign to tarnish her reputation in 2024. Following this, a New York Times article set off a chain reaction involving several lawsuits and over a dozen people.

In the inescapable drama of the IEWU legal battle, Baldoni sued the magazine for USD 250 million, claiming defamation. Lively, in turn, countersued Baldoni and his representatives for allegedly retaliating against her after she reported improper workplace behavior.

Baldoni raised the stakes even higher, after that. He sued the actress and her husband, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, for USD 400 million claiming civil extortion and defamation.

Nick Shapiro's experience in high-stakes crisis management, such as "the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, the Gulf Oil Spill, the Boston Marathon Bombing," and more, per his bio, although his involvement in Blake Lively's case appears unusual considering its non-political nature. Meanwhile, it ends in court as a New York judge has set their trial date in March 2026.