IOWA CITY — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former University of Iowa administrator that claimed a St. Louis law firm defamed him in a report criticizing his handling of a 2007 reported sexual assault on campus.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt on Tuesday dismissed former UI General Counsel Marc Mills’ claims against the Stolar Partnership.

The state Board of Regents hired Stolar in 2008 to investigate the university’s response to a woman’s claim that she was sexually assaulted in a Hillcrest dorm room by two football players. The report criticized Mills’ performance, and University President Sally Mason fired him in response.

Mills sued university officials and Stolar, claiming the report was inaccurate and he was wrongly terminated. Pratt ruled the statements do not amount to defamation by Stolar.

Pratt dismissed Mills’ claims against university officials last fall.