Justin Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, is declaring a legal victory after a judge awarded Blake Lively only a fraction of the nearly $8 million she requested in attorneys' fees and costs. While Freedman expressed support for the California law used to grant Lively the award, he argued that it was applied in a way lawmakers never intended. The attorney also took a pointed shot at Lively, accusing the actress of attempting to use the legal system for her "own personal gain."
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Freedman addressed the ruling in a statement to TMZ, describing California Civil Code Section 47.1 as "not a perfect law, but it is an important one designed to protect real survivors, who deserve to see this law tested and perfected in the court of law."
The law allows a prevailing defendant in certain defamation cases involving reports of ****** ual ****** ault, harassment or discrimination to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. Although Freedman said he fundamentally supports the law's intended purpose, he questioned how it was used in the dispute involving Lively and Baldoni.
"Notwithstanding the fact that the law was applied in ways it was never intended for, my clients intentionally left Section 47.1 to be ruled on without any appellate rights to appeal as part of the settlement agreement, to prevent either party from overturning the law," Freedman said.

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