Blake Lively hires ex-CIA deputy chief amid Justin Baldoni legal battle

Blake Lively has hired ex-CIA deputy chief of staff Nick Shapiro as her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni escalates.

The actress has stepped up her campaign in the ongoing legal dispute with her former colleague and collaborator, hiring ex-CIA deputy chief of staff Nick Shapiro as a crisis manager.

Blake's legal team confirmed the new hiring, stating, "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 extensive crisis management experience, having served as a senior counterterrorism aide in the Obama administration. He later founded his own crisis PR firm, 10th Avenue Consulting, in 2015.

Blake, 37, is suing Justin, 41, for sexual harassment and retaliation. She has accused him of unwanted touching, body shaming, and attempting to damage her reputation through a media campaign.

Justin denied the allegations, countersuing Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, for $400 million and claiming they tried to destroy his reputation. He also filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times.

Blake's lawsuit continues after a judge ruled that her subpoena for Justin's texts and call logs was "overly intrusive". However, she has been allowed to amend and resubmit the request. The case is set for a hearing in March.