Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to Meet for Settlement Conference

Here's What Could Happen as the Actors Attempt to Resolve Their Ongoing Legal Dispute

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, along with their attorneys, are set to meet for a court-ordered settlement conference on Wednesday, February 11, in New York City as part of their ongoing legal dispute connected to the film "It Ends With Us". The conference will be held at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.

Why it matters

The dispute dates back to December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, the director and star of the film, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni has denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million countersuit, which has since been dismissed. The case has garnered significant public attention, and a settlement could help the parties avoid a potentially messy and high-profile trial.

The details

The settlement conference is a standard procedure in federal civil litigation and is intended to determine whether the case can be resolved without going to trial. During the conference, the Magistrate Judge will do her best to convince both parties to settle, pointing out the potential costs and risks of a trial. The discussions during the conference are confidential and cannot be used at trial.

  • The settlement conference will be held on February 11, 2026.
  • A trial is currently scheduled for May 18, 2026.

The players

Blake Lively

A 38-year-old actress who filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation.

Justin Baldoni

A 42-year-old actor and director who directed and starred in the film "It Ends With Us". He has denied Lively's allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit, which has since been dismissed.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave

The judge who will oversee the settlement conference between Lively and Baldoni.

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What they’re saying

“The Magistrate stated that the presence of each party — meaning each person or company named in the complaint — is 'essential to the settlement process.'”

— Gregory Doll, Partner at Doll Amir & Eley in Los Angeles (PEOPLE)

“The Magistrate will do her best to convince both parties to settle. The Magistrate will point out the obvious facts to both parties: the trial is going to cost a lot of money; there could be appeals; and neither side is guaranteed a victory.”

— Gregory Doll, Partner at Doll Amir & Eley in Los Angeles (PEOPLE)

What’s next

If no settlement is reached, the next step in the case is that Judge Liman will issue his summary judgment order, which he is holding in abeyance until after the settlement conference. Unless Judge Liman disposes of Lively's case on summary judgment, the next step will be pre-trial motions and trial.

The takeaway

This high-profile case between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni highlights the potential benefits of settlement conferences in resolving complex legal disputes, as both parties seek to avoid the risks and costs of a lengthy and public trial.