Former George Mason Law Professor Settles Defamation Lawsuit Against Ex-Students.
Joshua D. Wright, a former professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, has settled his defamation lawsuit against two former students who accused him of abusing his position to initiate sexual relationships while they were in law school.
Settlement Reached, One Claim Dropped
Wright settled with Elyse Dorsey and dropped his claim against Angela Landry, a Freshfields counsel, according to Law.com, Law360, and Reuters. Originally, he sought $108 million in damages in a Fairfax County, Virginia, circuit court lawsuit.
Dorsey, previously identified as a Kirkland & Ellis partner, no longer has an active profile on the firm’s website.
Key Details of the Settlement
According to Law.com, Dorsey’s settlement:
- Provided a modest compensation amount to Wright
- Allowed Dorsey to continue speaking publicly
- Was fully covered by insurance
- Accounted for less than 0.3% of Wright’s original damages claim
Statements from Both Parties
Wright has consistently maintained that his relationships with the women were consensual and dismissed the allegations as coming from “scorned former lovers.”
“I am relieved to have been fully vindicated. The evidence has made it undeniably clear that the relationships in question were consensual from the start. I remain fully committed to defending my reputation and will not hesitate to take further legal action if necessary,” Wright told Law360.
Dorsey, on the other hand, emphasized that settling allowed her to focus on her advocacy work without further litigation stress.
“Settling this case was a difficult decision, but it allows me to continue my advocacy work without the distraction or continued trauma of ongoing litigation,” Dorsey told Law.com.
Potential for Further Legal Action
Although Wright dropped his claim against Landry, he retains the option to refile within six months.
Landry’s attorney, Stacey Rose Harris, dismissed Wright’s claim of vindication, stating:
“Parties ‘vindicated’ in litigation don’t voluntarily dismiss their own claims on the eve of trial.”
