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- Justin Baldoni hires Alexandra Shapiro, famed for handling Sam Bankman-Fried’s appeal, before his 2026 trial.
- Judge denies Baldoni’s bid to depose Taylor Swift, citing delays, tightening his defense against Blake Lively.
- Shapiro, ex-clerk to Justice Ginsburg, now juggles Baldoni’s case and Bankman-Fried’s high-stakes federal appeal.
Justin Baldoni has contracted defense counsel Alexandra Shapiro before his trial with actress Blake Lively in March 2026. People have accessed court documents that confirm the move. Shapiro recently represented the disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried in his criminal appeal. Her appearance heralds a significant change in the legal approach of Baldoni.
The credentials that Shapiro holds are important. She served as a Clerk at the Supreme Court for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is currently dealing with complicated federal cases. Recently, she has worked with Bankman-Fried, who was found guilty in November 2023 on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy related to the collapse of FTX. He is currently serving a 25-year term in FCI Terminal Island, California.
Sam Bankman-Fried Appeal Poses Challenge for Alexandra Shapiro
The appeal by Bankman-Fried will be argued orally on November 4, 2025, in the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Second Circuit. It is unclear whether Shapiro will be able to reverse the conviction. The success rates of federal appeals are also historically low, and the result may also impact her reputation.
There have been other high-profile clients that Shapiro has represented. Sean Diddy Combs, the rapper, approached her prior to his July 2025 trial. Through her assistance, Combs was acquitted on a count of racketeering and trafficking on a partial basis. Two of the most high-profile cases of Shapiro were connected by Combs and Bankman-Fried, who had been sharing a cell in a New York federal prison.
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Baldoni’s decision to bring Shapiro onto the team follows a legal setback. Recently, Judge Lewis Liman refused his request to continue discovery to depose Taylor Swift. The subpoena was previously withdrawn by Baldoni when Swift attorneys volunteered information to his attorneys. The court obstructed their attempts to reconsider the matter several months later.
Justin Baldoni Faces Court Setback as Judge Denies Extension
Liman accused the lawyers of Baldoni of not being diligent enough to take action. He said that discovery had been pending for six months, and no new subpoena had been delivered. The request to extend time was dismissed flat out without any evidence of further action. This decision constrains Baldoni with the approaching trial.
Baldoni and Lively are involved in a case that has generated a lot of publicity based on their Hollywood connections. They both appeared in It Ends With Us and were subsequently involved in court battles.
Baldoni demonstrates the readiness to launch a counterattack by employing Shapiro. The trial is to be continued as planned, and extra attention will be paid to the way Shapiro can handle two high-profile cases simultaneously.
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