Joshua Wright, a former commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a law professor, is suing two of his previous students for defamation, seeking $108 million over their accusations of sexual harassment from when they were first-year students in Wright’s class. These students, now senior Biglaw attorneys, claim that Wright used his leverage over their future career opportunities to maintain their relationships.
Wright’s alleged misconduct was first shared publicly when he announced his departure from the academic sector for the private sector. Cleveland State law professor Crista Laser then came forward, recounting an incident where Wright reportedly used a fake job position as a means to proposition Laser. This led to two former students coming forward with their experiences of sexual relationships with Wright from when they were first-year students.
In 2021, allegations of such misconduct led to a Title IX complaint filed by Elyse Dorsey, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis. Represented by the Binnall Law Group, Wright has not denied his actions but has ridiculed the women involved instead. His defamation suit asserts that Dorsey and Angela Landry, the two defendants, sought a multi-million dollar settlement and accused them of seeking personal gain from this situation. Both defendants previously approached Wright with their allegations to prevent further harm to his reputation.
Wright’s lawsuit asserts that the issue at hand simply revolves around a love triangle involving consenting adults. However, the fact remains that as a teacher, Wright confirmed having sexual relationships with at least three students, an action which might tarnish his professional reputation.
Despite his claims that his professional reputation depends on his intention to exploit his influence over his students for sexual relations, in 2023, his professional reputation is at risk if clients see him as a law professor engaging in sexual relationships with multiple first-year students—a claim his own lawsuit highlights.
See other related articles: Law School’s ‘Restrictions’ On Professor’s Contact With Students During Sexual Harassment Probe Apparently Didn’t Cover Auctioning Off A Date, We Shouldn’t Have To Say This, But Job Interviews Are Not Your Personal Dating App, and Sexual Harassment Allegations Mount Against Former FTC Commissioner & Law Professor.