Blake Lively reportedly hires new PR crisis manager amid Justin Baldoni lawsuit

With no apparent end in sight for her on-going legal battle with Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively has seemingly added to her team of ‘dragons’.

According to Variety, Lively has hired a new PR crisis manager to help mitigate the ramifications of her public trial against her It Ends With Us director and co-star, and it’s none other than Nick Shapiro.

As per Variety's report, Shapiro previously served as the CIA’s deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to former director John Brennan. It's likely that Livel's legal team values Shapiro's reputed history and government ties.

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Blake Lively’s Evolving Strategy

The news was shared publicly via a member of the actress’s legal team at the New York-based firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher. According to Variety, the member of Lively's legal team said,

“The litigation team for Ms. Lively retained Mr. Shapiro to advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York”

Shapiro has a well-documented history in terms of managing crises since his time with the U.S. government. During the Obama administration, he served as a senior counter-terrorism aide and flourished in the role. After cementing his successful working relationship with the federal government, Shapiro subsequently founded his crisis PR firm in 2015.

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Lively v. Baldoni - A Quick Rundown

To recap the current situation between the two actors, Blake is suing Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation, as per official court documents. Baldoni is being accused of body shaming and attempting to damage Lively’s reputation through a media spear campaign aimed at taking her down.

Baldoni, who refutes the claims, is countersuing Lively for damages to his reputation as a result of the allegations, alongside the defamation suit he has filed against The New York Times. As of now, the first hearing for the case is set for March, although this may be subject to change given the ever-evolving nature of the dispute.