This program has been approved for Ohio CLE credit only.

This CLE will break down the bombshell complaints filed by Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, providing an up-to-date case summary and analysis of the litigation.  In addition to discussing the allegations and causes of action raised in both complaints, we will explore the legal issues raised within the litigation, and any differences in Ohio law or procedure. We will also discuss Rules of Professional Conduct, including 3.6 regarding trial publicity and 4.1 regarding truthfulness in statements to others, where we will analyze the conduct of the parties’ counsel in consideration of zealous advocacy versus ethical obligations. To that end, we will analyze the different litigation strategies that have emerged, and possible consequences in the trend of celebrities exploiting the legal system to win in the court of public opinion.

Mary E. Kraft, Esq. and Amanda Wage, Esq.

Mary Kraft is an associate attorney at Reminger Co. LPA’s Columbus office, where she focuses her legal practice in estates, trusts, and probate litigation. Mary represents clients in the pursuit, and defense, of cases involving trust and will contests, power of attorney abuse, declaratory judgment to invalidate financial or real estate transactions, fiduciary liability, and breach of trust. Mary counsels clients through all phases of the probate litigation process, including pre-suit investigation, pleadings, discovery, motion practice, mediation, evidentiary hearings, and trial. In addition to litigation, Mary handles estate planning, as well as estate and trust administrations, as fiduciary, counsel for fiduciaries, or counsel for beneficiaries.

Mary regularly presents and speaks on issues involving probate litigation, estate administration, and estate planning. Mary graduated cum laude from the University of Dayton School of law, where she served as the Business Editor on the University of Dayton Law Review, and as the Research Assistant to the Articles Editor of the American Business Law Journal.

Amanda Wager practices in Reminger Co. LPA’s Columbus office. She focuses her practice on a wide range of areas, including medical malpractice defense, professional liability, and general liability.

Amanda graduated magna cum laude from the University of Akron School of Law, where she competed as a member of the University of Akron School of Law’s nationally ranked Mock Trial Team and served as an Associate Editor on the Akron Law Review. During law school, Amanda clerked for several civil litigation firms and was a judicial extern for the Northern District of Ohio for Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker.