Johnny Depp Lawyer Says Justin Baldoni’s ‘Bold’ Approach in Blake Lively Legal Battle Is ‘Very Aggressive’

Johnny Depp’s lawyer Benjamin Chew called Justin Baldoni’s decision to publish a website featuring links to his lawsuit against Blake Lively “a novel approach”

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Raymond Hall/GC Images

One of Johnny Depp’s lawyers is weighing in on Justin Baldoni’s latest legal moves in his ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively.

Benjamin Chew, who represented Depp, 61, during his 2022 civil trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, appeared on the Tuesday, Feb. 4 episode of the Law & Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber podcast to discuss the latest updates in Baldoni and Lively’s legal battle.

When Chew was asked for his opinion on Baldoni’s decision to publish a website containing an amended complaint he filed in court on Friday, Jan. 31, as well as an exhibit labeled as “Timeline Of Events,” the lawyer said, “I agree — bold, aggressive, chutzpah, whatever the right term is. I think it is very aggressive, usually you would not do something like that before a hearing.”

Lively and Baldoni’s lawyers met in court for the first time since their clients sued each other in New York City on Monday, Feb. 3, where Judge Lewis Liman threatened to expedite the trial if both parties do not rein in their public relations war outside the courtroom.

“But I’m sure that they vetted it carefully, that they vetted the material carefully. Certainly, posting a pleading doesn’t seem to be out of bounds; these are pleadings made in the public records,” Chew added of Baldoni’s lawyers pre-hearing actions. “Whenever you’re getting into work product or advocacy pieces, then I think it’s getting closer to the line. So, it’s a novel approach. A bold approach.”

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively at the “It Ends With Us” premiere on August 06, 2024 in New York City. James Devaney/GC Images; Ian West/PA Images via Getty

Currently, the It Ends With Us actors are preparing to head to trial in March 2026. When Law & Order Crime Sidebar podcast host Jesse Weber asked Chew to identify which side he believes may have the stronger case, Chew declined to say, but he noted that he believes either side can benefit from “the more they can cite to audiotape and videotape” as much as possible.

“Whenever you can hang someone with their own language and they’re in a position of having to explain that they didn’t really mean what they said,” he added, noting that text messages are also considered persuasive evidence. “You know the cliché, ‘When you’re explaining, you’re losing.’ So I think on both sides, whenever they have actually used videotape, audiotape or used the actual words of the other side, I think that’s a good day for them.”

Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Justin Baldoni.Taylor Hill/WireImage; John Nacion/Variety via Getty

The ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni began in December 2024, when the actress filed a sexual-harassment complaint against Baldoni, alleging that he engaged in misconduct during the film’s production and a subsequent retaliatory smear campaign meant to “destroy” her reputation, which he has denied.

Baldoni countered Lively’s initial claim on Jan. 16 with a $400 million lawsuit against her, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane, alleging extortion, defamation and more.

Both sides’ attorneys said they were pleased after their Feb. 3 hearing in N.Y.C. “We will hold the defendants accountable, and we are confident that once all the evidence is submitted in this matter, Ms. Lively will prevail,” Lively’s attorneys Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson said in a statement.

Baldoni’s attorney Brian Freedman, meanwhile, told reporters outside the court, “I couldn’t be more pleased with how the case was handled today. We’re going to move as quickly as possible and prove our innocence,” per The Hollywood Reporter.