Overview
(May 27, 2025, New York) – On behalf of pro bono client, Elyse Dorsey, Steptoe filed an Amicus Brief in support of Blake Lively in the case of Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC (1:24-cv-10049) in the Southern District of New York.
Elyse Dorsey is an attorney and advocate for survivors of sexual harassment. She is a survivor of sexual harassment and, like Ms. Lively, was subject to a retaliatory defamation lawsuit. As a result of this experience, Ms. Dorsey advocates for stronger statutory protections for survivors of sexual harassment, especially for those who wish to speak up about their experience. Ms. Dorsey supports Ms. Lively's invocation of California’s Protecting Survivors from Weaponizing Defamation Lawsuits Act, which codifies essential protections for survivors against retaliatory defamation lawsuits.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni co-produced and starred in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us. Following the release, Lively accused Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of sexual harassment and retaliation, prompting them to countersue her, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others for $400 million, alleging defamation, civil extortion, and related claims. On March 20, 2025, Lively filed a motion to dismiss the countersuit, arguing the Protecting Survivors Act and California's anti-SLAPP statute shield her harassment allegations as protected speech. The Wayfarer Parties opposed the motion, alleging malice and challenging the Act's constitutionality over fee-shifting and treble damages.
Partner Michelle Kallen said: "While the rights to free speech and to workplaces free from discrimination and harassment are well-enshrined in our legal system, the path to speaking out against sexual harassment remains incredibly costly and full of barriers for survivors. Ms. Dorsey advocates for stronger statutory protections for survivors of sexual harassment and supports Ms. Lively's invocation of California's Protecting Survivors from Weaponizing Defamation Lawsuits Act, which codifies essential protections for whistleblowers against retaliatory defamation lawsuits."
The Steptoe team includes partners Michelle S. Kallen and Elyse D. Echtman, and associates Elise K. Haverman and Laura Niday.
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