How Taylor Swift's legal team plans to handle Justin Baldoni subpoena in Blake Lively lawsuit
Taylor Swift’s legal team has laid out a firm strategy to shut down a subpoena issued by actor-director Justin Baldoni, who is embroiled in an escalating legal battle with actress Blake Lively. The case centers on allegations tied to the film It Ends With Us, and now includes some of the biggest names in entertainment.
'Justin Baldoni' and 'Taylor Swift.'
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
The subpoena, served to Swift’s longtime law firm Venable LLP on April 29, seeks communications between the firm and Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their attorney Michael Gottlieb. The move followed a similar subpoena aimed directly at Swift.
Venable’s response, filed Monday, was unequivocal. The firm is demanding the court quash the subpoena entirely, asserting it is irrelevant, overly burdensome, and part of a broader effort to generate public spectacle rather than resolve legal issues. Their strategy is to focus on procedural grounds—highlighting that Venable, and by extension Swift, had no role in the film or the litigation’s core claims.
“There is no legitimate reason for this subpoena,” the filing argued, characterizing it as a “fishing expedition” designed to draw media attention. The motion states that even if such communications existed, they would be more appropriately obtained from the parties directly involved—Lively and Reynolds.
Central to Venable’s motion is partner Douglas Baldridge, a veteran attorney who has worked with Swift since 2013 and recently returned to the firm after serving as general counsel at 13 Management. Baldoni’s legal team specifically named him in the subpoena, which Venable says is an unnecessary and harassing tactic.
Swift’s legal strategy mirrors Venable’s position. Her team, after being served, swiftly denounced the request as a publicity maneuver, stating it was “designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait.”
Legal observers expect Swift’s team to aggressively challenge any attempts to draw her further into the lawsuit, relying on her complete non-involvement in the production of It Ends With Us as their core defense. They’re also likely to seek protective orders to prevent further misuse of legal procedures for public spectacle.
The lawsuit began last December when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliatory behavior on the film set. In January, Baldoni filed a countersuit alleging defamation and claiming that Lively used her connections with powerful friends—specifically Swift and Reynolds—to undermine his role in the film.
Court documents even quote a message from Lively calling Swift and Reynolds her “most trusted partners,” likening them to “dragons” from Game of Thrones. Baldoni’s attorneys argue the statement shows the depth of influence being leveraged against him.
Lively and Reynolds have now backed Venable’s effort to nullify the subpoena, accusing Baldoni of abusing the legal process to entangle uninvolved celebrities.
With no comments yet from representatives for Swift, Lively, Reynolds, or Baldoni, the next move will rest with the court. What’s clear is that Swift’s legal team is prepared to push back forcefully—using procedural precision and legal precedent to protect their client’s name from what they call an unjustified legal dragnet.
