Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's lawyers clash amid vicious court battle

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal representatives have clashed in court as their bitter feud continues.

The Hollywood stars are locked in a vicious battle after accusing each other of attempting to destroy the other - with Michael Gottlieb representing Lively and Bryan Freedman representing Baldoni.

But on Monday, Manhattan federal judge Lewis Liman blasted the legal representatives for allowing their arguments to create a media sensation.

Liman warned the duelling lawyers, per the New York Post, "You've got a lot in front of the court that gives, I think, the public plenty to feast upon."

The judge added that he wanted to avoid allowing the case to devolve into "satellite litigation involving the statements of a lawyer."

Freedman conceded it had been childish to have argued with Gottlieb as accusations they had been fuelling a media narrative flew.

Baldoni's lawyer said, "Not to sound like a four-year-old fighting a four-year-old with 'They started it,' but in these kinds of cases, once someone says something it becomes fact: There's no way to fight against it."

However, he added, "This was not started by us, your honour."

The explosive litigation case was sparked last year when Lively sued Baldoni for $250 million (£200 million), claiming he sexually harassed her while filming It Ends With Us and accusing him of launching a smear campaign against her - allegations the actor-director has furiously denied.

He, along with his publicists, then countersued Lively for $400 million (£320 million) alleging she had defamed them.