Tiffany Wright named senior vice president and general counsel at Johns Hopkins University

Tiffany Wright, an accomplished appellate lawyer who has served as deputy general counsel since joining Johns Hopkins University in May 2023, has been selected as the university's next senior vice president and general counsel, JHU President Ron Daniels announced in a message to university leadership.

Wright has served in the role on an interim basis since the departure of former Senior Vice President and General Counsel Paul Pineau earlier this year. As the university conducted a national search for a permanent leader for the Office of General Counsel, Daniels wrote, it became clear that Wright—who brings "exquisite legal skill and judgment"—was "the ideal choice."

"Time and time again she has exhibited an extraordinary capacity to see our issues in a broad frame and to ensure that our positions are legally robust and grounded firmly in our mission and values," Daniels wrote. "Unflappable and humane, Tiffany is able to cut through complex legal issues with expertise, insight, and clarity."

As deputy general counsel, Wright played a critical role as the university navigated a range of issues and challenges, including its response to the 2023 Supreme Court decision on affirmative action in admissions, litigation on antitrust and Title IX challenges, and complex labor, human resources, and research-related matters.

As general counsel, Wright will continue to advise university leadership and JHU's board of trustees on institutional decisions and provide strategic guidance on governance, research compliance, faculty affairs, and the university's partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine. She will also oversee the university's compliance function as well as the public safety unit and police department.

"We are immensely fortunate to have Tiffany as a member of our leadership team," Daniels wrote. "I am confident that Tiffany's principled and steady leadership, her intellectual rigor and analytical capabilities, as well as her passion for Johns Hopkins and the role of higher education in our society, will serve our institution well at this critical juncture in our history."

Said Wright: "I am honored to have been chosen as the university's general counsel. I look forward to supporting and defending the critical mission of the institution and to leading the incredible team in the Office of General Counsel."

Before coming to Johns Hopkins, Wright—who was recently elected to the prestigious American Law Institute—served as associate counsel for racial justice and equity in the Office of the White House Counsel. In that role, she provided strategic and legal advice to the president, vice president, and senior White House advisors on an array of legal issues, including Title IX, gender and LGBTQ+ equity, reproductive rights, clemency, and religious liberty.

Prior to joining the White House, Wright directed the Civil Rights Clinic at the Howard University School of Law and practiced in the Supreme Court and Appellate practices at two international law firms. After earning her JD magna cum laude at Georgetown University Law Center, she served as law clerk for Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the U.S. Supreme Court.