Who is Elyse Dorsey? Zack Peter details alleged sexual harassment incident of Blake Lively's "new supporter in court" against Justin Baldoni

As Blake Lively fights to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit, an unexpected ally has stepped into the legal battle: Elyse Dorsey, a former federal antitrust attorney. On May 27, 2025, Steptoe LLP filed an amicus brief in support of Blake Lively on behalf of their pro bono client Elyse Dorsey.

According to The Federalist Society, Elyse Dorsey is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, focusing on antitrust and competition law. She previously served as Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and as an Attorney Advisor at the Federal Trade Commission. Dorsey has also taught antitrust law as an adjunct professor at George Mason University.

On May 31, 2025, media personality Zack Peter took to X to report on the alleged sexual harassment incident that Blake Lively's "new supporter," Dorsey, experienced. Peter kicked off his post by saying,

"Well, Blake Lively just landed herself a new supporter in court. Cause if you thought it was a flex to get Amber Heard and Harvey Weinstein to back her up, wait for this one."

Peter stated that Elyse Dorsey had accused her college professor, Joshua Wright, of sexual harassment, and in response, he filed a lawsuit against her, accusing her of defaming his reputation.

However, Peter alleged that Dorsey and Wright were having an affair for eleven years. He further claimed that when Wright broke things off, Dorsey tried various measures to win him back but ultimately decided to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against him.

"As it was revealed in court, yes, it is true that Elyse and Mr. Wright did sleep together when she was in college. But following their hookup...they ended up going on to have an eleven year affair. Now, I call it an affair because they were both married at the time," Peter said.

Peter stated that in March 2025, Dorsey settled with Wright, claiming that she did not want to experience the "trauma of having to go through litigation," putting an end to the lawsuit.

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More about the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

As per Deadline, in December 2024, Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, her It Ends With Us co-star and director, accusing him of sexual harassment on set and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued, accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Lively called upon California’s anti-SLAPP law (AB 933) earlier this year in a bid to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit claiming she falsely had accused him of harassment and retaliation during the production of their movie.

Justin Baldoni has refuted Lively's claims of offensive behavior on the set. His attorneys stated that AB 933 was unconstitutional, contending it unfairly punishes those who defend themselves against false allegations. However, advocates stated that if Justin Baldoni is successful in challenging the law in California, it could spell disaster for survivors across the country.

“If the law were to be struck down, it wouldn’t just affect Blake Lively — it would essentially do away with the protections for all survivors. It would be a devastating setback and completely undermine the purpose of the law, which was to make it easier for victims to come forward and to speak their truth without fear of retaliation,” said Jessica Schidlow, legal director at Child USA.

How Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal fight could shape how courts interpret AB 933, which protects speakers from retaliatory defamation suits, will be determined by their case. A victory for Blake Lively could encourage other victims to come forward without worrying about financial ruin. But if Justin Baldoni comes through with his challenge, advocates worry that it could harm victims reporting sexual misconduct.