AceShowbiz - The legal conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is advancing rapidly as their long-running dispute tied to the 2024 film It Ends With Us approaches trial next month.

Jury selection is slated to begin on Monday, May 18, with both sides preparing for a potentially lengthy courtroom battle. Attorneys representing Lively anticipate presenting their case over three to four weeks, while Baldoni's legal team has indicated they may seek a similar timeframe to deliver their defense.

Neither Lively nor Baldoni were present during Tuesday’s three-hour pre-trial conference, where their lawyers debated key evidentiary issues before U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman. Central to the arguments was whether expert witness testimony regarding Lively's reputation damage and financial losses would be allowed.

Lively's attorneys are requesting the court permit experts to testify that the actress sustained losses ranging from $39 million to $143 million due to the fallout from the dispute. One expert attributed some of these losses to the negative impact on Lively's business ventures, including her haircare line Blake Brown and her alcoholic beverage brand Betty Booze. Another expert estimated she missed out on a possible $35 million payday from a sequel to It Ends With Us, along with other lucrative opportunities.

On the other side, Baldoni's legal team challenged these figures as speculative and excessively inflated. They pointed out that Lively has appeared in only four films over the past eight years, collectively earning about $21 million, which they argue undermines the projected losses.

Judge Liman has yet to issue a ruling on the admissibility of the expert testimony. Instead, he tentatively scheduled a hearing for the following week to allow both parties to question the experts directly.

This dispute over expert witnesses comes as the overall scope of the lawsuit has narrowed considerably since Lively initially filed it in December 2024. Earlier this month, Judge Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims, including serious allegations of sexual harassment. The trial will now primarily focus on claims of retaliation and breach of contract.

Originally, Lively's complaint accused Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, of creating a hostile and sexually charged work environment that discriminated against women. She also alleged that after raising her concerns privately, Baldoni and the film’s producers launched a coordinated smear campaign on social media aimed at silencing and damaging her reputation.

Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have strongly denied all allegations. The tension between the co-stars became public during the film’s August 2024 premiere, where Baldoni notably skipped the red carpet. This absence sparked widespread speculation and negative media coverage surrounding Lively.

The public fallout has been extensive and complex. Baldoni filed a countersuit seeking $400 million in damages for defamation against Lively, though it was later dismissed. He also unsuccessfully sued The New York Times for defamation after the outlet reported on Lively's sexual harassment complaint against him; both of these lawsuits were thrown out by a judge in June 2025.

As the trial date approaches, all eyes remain on the courtroom battles ahead, particularly over the expert testimony that could significantly influence the case’s outcome. The dispute underscores the high stakes involved for both Lively and Baldoni, with millions of dollars and reputations hanging in the balance.