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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were seen arriving for their court-ordered settlement conference in their ongoing legal dispute on Wednesday, Feb. 11
Lively arrived for the meeting solo, while Baldoni appeared outside a N.Y.C. federal courthouse with his wife Emily, whom he has been married to since 2013
If Lively and Baldoni’s legal teams do not reach a settlement as part of this conference, their civil trial will begin on May 18
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were seen arriving for a court-ordered settlement conference as part of their ongoing legal dispute connected to It Ends With Us.
Lively, 38, arrived by herself at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, Feb. 11, wearing a pale green suit and sweater. Baldoni, 42, appeared for the settlement conference holding hands with his wife Emily Baldoni. The pair’s conference will be overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.
Lively and Baldoni’s settlement conference is a standard procedure in federal civil litigation; conferences of this nature are intended to determine whether a case can be resolved without going to trial. Judge Liman, who is presiding over the case, has not yet ruled on Baldoni’s pending summary judgment motion.
The It Ends With Us costars’ legal dispute dates back to December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, who also directed the film, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. The director has denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million countersuit, which has since been dismissed. Lively has alleged she lost $161 million as a result of what she describes as a retaliatory smear campaign. A trial is currently scheduled for May 18.
Blake Lively in New York City on Feb. 11, 2026
Javier Mateo / BACKGRID
Ahead of the conference, PEOPLE spoke with legal expert Gregory Doll, a partner at Doll Amir & Eley in Los Angeles, to explain what typically happens during a settlement conference and what the possible outcomes could be. Doll is not representing either party.
Doll told PEOPLE that he would expect the conference to “last a full day,” though he noted there is “no limitation to how long” a conference of this nature may last. Doll also shared that any and all statements made by either party during the settlement conference “are 100% confidential and cannot be used at trial” if a settlement is not achieved.Â
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Justin Baldoni and Emily Baldoni in New York Ciy on Feb. 11, 2026
Javier Mateo / BACKGRID
Asked how common it is for cases to settle at this stage, Doll said, “very.” “Magistrates pride themselves in settling cases, and by this point in time, the parties are often getting apprehensive about the trial, tired of paying legal bills, and want to make a deal,” Doll added.
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