EXCLUSIVE New twist in Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni saga as female lawyer with a connection to Taylor Swift joins actor's legal team
Justin Baldoni has added a powerful female litigator to his legal counsel who could make a 'meaningful difference' to his acrimonious battle with Blake Lively, according to insiders – and she has an unlikely connection to Taylor Swift.
Ellyn S. Garofalo, who previously worked with Venable LLP – the law firm used by Swift – has joined Baldoni's side as part of the Wayfarer legal team in a move that has prompted fans to question the singer's involvement in the ongoing war.
The pop superstar, 35, was dragged into the feud between Lively, 37, and her It Ends With Us costar and director Baldoni, 41, in early May when she was officially subpoenaed as a witness. A legal letter filed last month by his lawyers alleged that Lively had attempted to 'coerce' Swift to issue a public statement in support of her and urged her to delete text messages between them. Lively's lawyers later filed a motion asking the court to strike the accusations from its docket as 'baseless, unnecessary, improper and abusive,' and Lively's motion to dismiss Baldoni's letter was granted.
But Baldoni's team withdrew the subpoena in late May after Venable LLP objected that it amounted to an 'unwarranted fishing expedition.' It was branded 'tabloid clickbait' by Swift's representative.
Garofalo, who worked at Venable LLP from 2018 until 2021, reportedly joined Baldoni's team 'after Venable was able to get the Taylor subpoena tossed.'
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'For Ellyn to join the counsel is huge,' an insider exclusively told the Daily Mail.
According to her biography, Garofalo is a seasoned trial attorney with over three decades of courtroom experience.
Her focus is on 'civil, criminal, and regulatory matters, including SEC enforcement actions,' and she has previously worked on high-profile cases involving Anna Nicole Smith and Alyssa Milano.
'Baldoni's team is thrilled because of her track record in the courtroom,' the insider said of the Pepperdine Law School grad.
'She not only brings exceptional legal expertise but also fulfils their desire to include a prominent female litigator.'
News of her involvement comes days after an unnamed insider in Swift's inner circle allegedly provided documented evidence to Baldoni's lead attorney Bryan Freedman detailing how Lively's attorneys had 'threatened to leak' the actress's private exchanges with Swift, in a failed attempt to coerce the singer into publicly siding with her against Baldoni. The Daily Mail exclusively revealed that the 'leaker' was none other than Scott Swift - the singer's 73-year-old father.
'Garofalo was compelled to join the case after reviewing its circumstances, feeling strongly that an injustice was unfolding and that her participation could make a meaningful difference,' our source said.
The legal dispute began when Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment. Baldoni has countersued for defamation. Both parties have denied all thew allegations against them. Their trial is scheduled for March 2026.
Now, Swifties are wondering what this means for the contentious case, after many flocked to social media to welcome the new lawyer.
While it's unclear if Swift ever worked directly with the lawyer, it seems telling that she comes from the pop star's firm. After leaving Venable in 2021, she joined Carlton Fields for less than three years and became managing shareholder. Garofalo, who is famous for representing celebrities, then became a partner at boutique firm Liner Freedman Taitelman Cooley, which works with reality stars.
'Whoa this is getting spicy!' one person remarked, before questioning if it was an 'F U' from Swift. Others applauded another woman joining the team.
The legal tussle has seemingly destroyed Lively's decade-long friendship with Swift.
An insider previously told Daily Mail that the singer 'is done' with the Gossip Girl alum as she felt she had been 'exploited.'
Some thought that Swift took a subtle swipe at her former friend when she was out on the town Saturday night in New York City to celebrate getting her masters back.
The Shake It Off songstress sported a floral Doen dress as she hit Via Carota, as an insider told Daily Mail she has been 'loving florals lately' and 'feels the style is a perfect fit for spring.'
In It Ends With Us, Lively played a florist named Lily Bloom. While promoting the movie, which has a domestic violence storyline, Lively was criticized for cheerily telling fans to 'grab your florals' when they saw it in theatres. At the time, many thought she was downplaying the extremely serious themes the film dealt with.
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