RPJ’s Ethan Krasnoo Offers Legal Insight in the Daily Mail and Fox News on Justin Baldoni’s Diminished Lawsuit Against Blake Lively
In recent coverage by both the Daily Mail and Fox News, RPJ’s Ethan Krasnoo offered incisive legal analysis on the escalating dispute between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Following a federal judge’s decision on Monday to dismiss the core elements of Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit – namely defamation and extortion – Mr. Krasnoo emphasized the sharply diminished scope of Baldoni’s legal recourse. As he explained, the judge limited Baldoni to just two avenues for amendment: “tortious interference with contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.” With the “bulk of his claims and alleged damages” eliminated, Mr. Krasnoo underscored the steep narrowing of Baldoni’s legal path.
Despite the setback, Mr. Krasnoo noted that Baldoni may attempt to preserve leverage by refiling the two remaining claims, suggesting this could “maintain any minimum settlement advantage he may have left.” He also proposed the possibility of a broader strategic shift, observing that Baldoni “could choose to engage more publicly in support of his underlying allegations and defenses… in an attempt to win the battle in the public eye.” While the court’s ruling was undeniably a blow, Mr. Krasnoo was careful to point out that “Baldoni’s loss of the affirmative suit does not mean that he cannot prevail as a defendant in Lively’s counterclaims against him.”
Mr. Krasnoo’s remarks come amid fresh procedural developments, as Baldoni’s legal team moves forward with efforts to depose Ms. Lively – a motion reportedly filed last week. The deposition may offer Baldoni a crucial opportunity to introduce new evidence in support of the remaining claims. Mr. Krasnoo cautioned, however, that while the court’s decision leaves a small window for amendment for Baldoni to reshape and refocus his claims, the legal road ahead remains steep and uncertain.
Read the full articles here and here.
This article is intended as a general discussion of these issues only and is not to be considered legal advice or relied upon. For more information, please contact RPJ Partner Ethan Krasnoo who counsels clients in areas of complex commercial litigation, arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution, and employment, intellectual property, and entertainment and media. Mr. Krasnoo is admitted to practice law in New York, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and United States Tax Court.