Patrick J. Wright, Vice President for Legal Affairs [Mackinac Center]

Patrick Wright is Vice President for Legal Affairs at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, where he directs the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. He joined the Center in June 2005 after serving for three years as a Michigan Supreme Court commissioner, a post in which he made recommendations to the court concerning which state appeals court cases it should hear.

Prior to that, Wright spent four years as an assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan, where he gained significant litigation and appellate advocacy experience. He joined the state Attorney General’s Office after one year as a policy advisor in the Senate Majority Policy Office of the Michigan Senate. Wright also spent two years as a law clerk to Hon. H. Russell Holland, a United States district court judge in Alaska.

Wright received his law degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He graduated with honors in 1994. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Michigan in 1990.

Wright lives in Midland, Mich., with his wife and sons.

Michigan School Employees Can Officially Resign from Their Union at Any Time

Supreme Court rejects MEA’S ‘August window’ appeal … more

Published on March 23, 2018 – News Release

Michigan’s Open Records Law Needs Additional Firm Deadlines

Published on Feb. 14, 2018 – Impact

Mackinac Center Files Amicus in Pivotal Right-to-Work Case

Janus v. AFSCME could extend freedom of association to all public workers … more

Published on Dec. 7, 2017 – News Release

Mackinac Center Settles Transparency Lawsuit with DEQ

Legislative clarity still needed for FOIA timeliness … more

Published on Nov. 8, 2017 – News Release

Mackinac Center Settles Transparency Lawsuit Against University of Michigan

University to improve process for FOIA requests; releases additional documents … more

Published on Oct. 4, 2017 – News Release

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Pivotal Right-to-Work Case

Mackinac Center Legal Foundation on the front lines of Janus v. AFSCME dispute … more

Published on Sept. 28, 2017 – News Release

Another Judge Upholds Teachers’ Right-to-Work Status; Faults Union’s Tactics

Mackinac Center calls on Michigan Education Association to stop sending teachers to collections … more

Published on July 13, 2017 – News Release

Court of Appeals Unanimously Rules Against MEA’s ‘August Window’; Upholds Teachers’ Right to Work

Not a single judge agreed with the union on this issue … more

Published on May 3, 2017 – News Release

State Environmental Department Stiff-Arms Open Government, FOIA Law

Published on March 27, 2017 – Impact

Mackinac Center Sues University of Michigan Over Open Records Violation

Journalist waits more than 100 days for university to supply four emails … more

Published on March 2, 2017 – News Release

Court Rejects MDEQ’s Avoidance Tactics in Flint FOIA Lawsuit

Motion to dismiss denied by State of Michigan Court of Claims … more

Published on Jan. 10, 2017 – News Release

How a Government Transparency Request Can Take Months

Published on Aug. 8, 2016 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Mackinac Center Files Open Records Lawsuit Against State Government Over Flint Water Documents

Open government requires timely information … more

Published on July 13, 2016 – News Release

Right-to-Work Case Will Be Reargued

Published on March 17, 2016 – Impact

MEA Announces Violation of Right-to-Work Law, Says Members May Leave at Anytime

Notice published in official magazine … more

Published on Jan. 6, 2016 – News Release

Court of Appeals Denies MEA’s Request to Keep ‘August Window’

Decision will force MEA to “accept membership resignations submitted at any time” during the appeal … more

Published on Nov. 13, 2015 – News Release

MEA’s ‘August Window’ ruled Illegal; union must change bylaws and accept resignations

‘Other government unions should take heed...’ … more

Published on Sept. 16, 2015 – News Release

MEA Changes Opt-out Address, Keeps Members in the Dark

Michigan Education Association’s Latest Trick to Lock Workers in a Dues Cage … more

Published on Aug. 20, 2015 – News Release

MERC to Find August Window Illegal

Published on Aug. 4, 2015 – Impact

Michigan Supreme Court Upholds Right-to-Work for State Employees

Accepting Mackinac Center Legal Foundation argument, justices decide 4 to 3 that Michigan Constitution prohibits agency fees for state workers … more

Published on July 29, 2015 – News Release

United States Supreme Court to Hear Case That Could Declare Agency Fees for Public Employees Unconstitutional

Mackinac Center Legal Foundation Filed Amicus Brief Asking Court to Hear Case … more

Published on June 30, 2015 – News Release

Court Watch: Friedrichs case could extend right-to-work to public sector employees Comparison of Schools

Published on April 30, 2015 – Impact

Lawsuit Leads to Rights Recognition

Published on Dec. 16, 2014 – Impact

Four Saginaw Teachers Stand Up and Win

Published on Oct. 29, 2014 – Impact

Harris v. Quinn

Published on July 30, 2014 – Impact

On the Case: Right-to-Work

Published on Sept. 12, 2013 – Impact

Supreme Court Rules Unions Can't Take Extra Fees Without Consent

Published on June 22, 2012 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Constitutional Pension Reform, 50 Years On

Published on June 6, 2012 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Collective Bargaining Initiative Is About Power, Not Rights

Published on April 9, 2012 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Justices' Questions Provide Insight In Obamacare Debate

Published on March 28, 2012 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Legislature Should End Abusive Public-Sector Unionizations

Published on Sept. 5, 2011 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Back-to-School Daze

Published on Aug. 23, 2011

FOIA Law Enhances Center’s Research and Reporting

Published on June 28, 2011 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Law Regarding Prohibited Subjects of Collective Bargaining Needs Updated

Published on April 4, 2011 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Public-Sector Bargaining Privileges Are Not Inalienable Rights

Published on March 11, 2011

MEA Lawsuit on Retiree Health Benefits Misguided

Published on Aug. 9, 2010 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Eroding rights?

Published on Jan. 28, 2010 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Cheating a rigged game

Published on Jan. 28, 2010 – Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan Forces Business Owners Into Public-Sector Union

Published on Jan. 15, 2010

Mackinac Center Launches Legal Foundation; Sues DHS

Published on Sept. 18, 2009

Litigation Backgrounder: Loar v. DHS

Published on Sept. 16, 2009

Taking Liberties

Published on June 17, 2009 – Property Rights Network Refuge

News Release: State Attorney General Agrees That Michigan Film Office Violated State Law by Failing to Disclose Required Film Spending Information

Published on April 30, 2009 – News Release

President’s Merit Pay Idea Merits Attention

Published on March 30, 2009

News Release: Film Office Report Violates Michigan Law and the Spirit of Sunshine Week

Published on March 19, 2009 – News Release

Digging Ourselves a Deeper Hole

Published on March 9, 2009 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

'Hobbes vs. Locke': The battle continues

Published on Feb. 20, 2009 – Property Rights Network Refuge

Public Education: Time for Change Based on the Merits

A merit-pay program for Michigan's public schools would reward teachers based on student achievement, rather than longevity and advanced degrees. … more

Published on Nov. 3, 2008 – Viewpoint on Public Issues

Teacher Merit-Pay Plan Gaining Popularity

Published on Oct. 17, 2008

The Merits of the Case

Published on Oct. 10, 2008 – Michigan Education Report