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New twist in Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni saga as female lawyer with a connection to Taylor Swift joins actor’s legal team

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Reportedly, Justin Baldoni has brought on board a formidable female attorney to his legal team, whose input may significantly impact his contentious dispute with Blake Lively. Remarkably, this lawyer shares an unexpected link with Taylor Swift.

As a devoted supporter, I find myself sharing the news about my recent professional transition: joining the Wayfarer legal team alongside Ellyn S. Garofalo, previously associated with Venable LLP – the law firm representing Swift. This move has sparked curiosity among fans, hinting at a potential escalation in the ongoing conflict.

35-year-old pop sensation found herself entangled in the dispute between actress Lively (age 37) and her It Ends With Us co-star/director Baldoni (age 41), back in May. She was summoned as a witness due to a legal document filed by his lawyers, which claimed that Lively had attempted to pressure Swift into releasing a public statement in her favor and deleting messages between them. In response, Lively’s attorneys submitted a motion to the court, requesting they dismiss these accusations as groundless, unnecessary, improper, and abusive. The judge ultimately granted Lively’s motion to dismiss Baldoni’s letter.

However, Baldoni’s team retracted the subpoena towards the end of May following Venable LLP’s objection that it was an unjustified search for information. This action was labeled as “tabloid-style sensationalism” by Swift’s representative.

According to reports, Garofalo, who was with Venable LLP from 2018 to 2021, is said to have subsequently joined Baldoni’s team, following the successful dismissal of the Taylor subpoena at Venable.

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‘For Ellyn to join the counsel is huge,’ an insider exclusively told the Daily Mail.

As a devoted admirer, I can attest that, based on her biographical details, Garofalo has honed her skills as a trial attorney for more than three decades, gaining extensive courtroom expertise along the way.

She primarily handles issues related to civil, criminal, and administrative laws, such as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations, and she has a history of working on notable cases, including those involving Anna Nicole Smith and Alyssa Milano.

According to the source, Baldoni’s team is excited due to her impressive history in the courtroom, a trait she developed during her time at Pepperdine Law School.

As a committed admirer, I’d like to highlight that she doesn’t just offer top-notch legal knowledge, but also embodies the ideal of having a distinguished woman lawyer on our team, which aligns perfectly with our aspirations.

News emerged about Lively being implicated, following reports from an anonymous source within Swift’s close circle who presented legal evidence to attorney Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni. This source claimed that Lively’s lawyers had attempted to pressure Swift into publicly supporting Lively against Baldoni by threatening to release Lively’s private communications with Swift. The Daily Mail reported that the person leaking this information was none other than Scott Swift, the singer’s 73-year-old father.

Our source stated that Garofalo found it necessary to become involved with the case upon examining its details, as she deeply believed an injustice was taking place and that her involvement could bring about significant change.

The disagreement in court started as Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment. In response, Baldoni has filed a counterclaim for slander. Neither party has admitted to the accusations leveled against them. Their trial is set for March 2026.

Currently, fans of Taylor Swift (Swifties) are pondering the implications of this development, as they’ve been actively expressing their excitement on social media upon learning about the arrival of a new attorney.

It’s not certain if Swift had a direct professional relationship with the lawyer, but it’s intriguing that she hails from Swift’s legal firm. After departing Venable in 2021, she moved to Carlton Fields and held the position of managing shareholder for nearly three years. Notably, Garofalo, known for representing celebrities, then partnered with Liner Freedman Taitelman Cooley, a firm that works closely with reality TV stars.

One individual exclaimed, “This is starting to heat up!”, implying a sense of escalation. Then, they pondered whether Taylor Swift’s actions could be interpreted as a subtle jab or a “not-so-subtle” message. As more people joined the team, another woman’s arrival was met with admiration and applause by others.

The legal tussle has seemingly destroyed Lively’s decade-long friendship with Swift.

Previously, a source close to the situation shared with Daily Mail that the singer has ended her relationship with the Gossip Girl alum, expressing that she believed she was being taken advantage of.

Some people believed that Swift might have made a discreet jibe at her previous acquaintance, as she was spotted celebrating her recently regained master’s degree in New York City over the weekend.

Taylor Swift, who is known for her Shake It Off melody, was spotted wearing a blooming Doen gown while dining at Via Carota. A source shared with Daily Mail that Taylor has been quite fond of floral patterns recently and feels this style aligns perfectly with the spirit of spring.

In the film “It Ends With Us,” Lively portrayed a character named Lily Bloom who is a florist. During promotions for the movie, which tackles domestic violence, Lively received criticism when she encouraged fans to pick up their flowers, saying “grab your florals” at the cinema. At that time, many people felt she was trivializing the film’s heavy and serious themes.

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2025-06-02 21:34

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