Del Wright Jr., a former U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor with the Tax Division and legal scholar whose research focuses on crypto and the regulation of blockchain technologies, will join the LSU Law faculty at the start of the Fall 2024 semester as the Vinson & Elkins Endowed Professor of Law.
Del Wright Jr., a former U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor with the Tax Division and legal scholar whose research focuses on crypto and the regulation of blockchain technologies, will join the LSU Law faculty at the start of the Fall 2024 semester as the Vinson & Elkins Endowed Professor of Law.
Prof. Wright teaches in the areas of tax, finance, business, securities, entrepreneurship, and in the last few years, crypto and blockchain regulation. He began his academic career at Valparaiso University Law School and taught there from 2010 to 2017, then joined the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School. His earlier scholarship explored the intersectionality of tax and finance, and in 2019 he expanded his focus to include the law and regulation of blockchain technologies.
In 2020, he published his first book, A Short and Happy Guide to Bitcoin, Blockchain and Crypto. He has two additional books in the works—Legal Issues in Blockchain & Crypto In a Nutshell, and Blockchain, Law & Policy: Materials, Problems & Interdisciplinary Considerations—to be published by West Academic Publishers. His articles have been published in academic journals such as the BNA Tax Management Real Estate Journal, Virginia Tax Law Review, Akron Law Review, Arizona State Law Journal, and the University of Missouri Kansas City Law Review.
“The opportunity to join LSU Law’s community of excellent legal scholars and talented students is truly a joy,” Prof. Wright said. “I am looking forward to getting students excited about business, finance, and tax law—as well as crypto—and helping them prepare for a rapidly changing legal and business environment, as well as collaborating with an outstanding faculty at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center and greater LSU community. Geaux Tigers!”
“Professor Wright is a nationally recognized expert in blockchain and crypto law. He has extensive practice in both the private and public sectors and brings both a practical and theoretical perspective to his teaching,” said LSU Law Dean Alena Allen. “We could not be more excited to welcome him to our campus this fall.”
Prior to joining the academy, as a prosecutor with DOJ’s Tax Division from 2003 to 2008, Prof. Wright prosecuted tax and other white-collar crimes, as well as drug crimes while he served on DOJ’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in Maryland. During his time with the DOJ, he oversaw multiple criminal investigations, receiving an Outstanding Attorney Award in 2004 and a Special Service Award in 2007.
In private practice following his DOJ service, he worked on tax controversy matters, managing litigation and negotiating settlements in over 30 U.S. Tax Court cases, with the contested amounts exceeding $1 billion. Prof. Wright has also previously worked for law firms and finance companies such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Bank of America, and Bank of America Securities.
Wright earned a Master’s in public policy from Harvard in 1997, a Juris Doctor from The University of Chicago Law School in 1996, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland in 1992. He is a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
