Brad Karp, the longtime chair of Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss, has resigned from his leadership role following the release of emails revealing his communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The firm announced on Wednesday that partner Scott Barshay will succeed him.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice on Friday showed Karp had extensive personal and business interactions with Epstein, including attending dinners and seeking Epstein's help to get his son a job with a Woody Allen film production. Karp said in a statement that the 'recent reporting' had become a distraction for the firm.
Karp, who chaired the firm since 2008, oversaw its growth to over $2.6 billion in annual revenue. He was known as a defender of Wall Street and a Democratic fundraiser, rallying lawyers for Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign. His connection to Epstein came through his work representing Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black.
The firm also faced criticism for agreeing to provide tens of millions of dollars in free legal work to causes supported by the White House in exchange for President Trump rescinding an executive order targeting Paul Weiss. Karp defended the deal, saying the order threatened the firm's survival.
Paul Weiss, which employs over 1,000 lawyers, represents major financial institutions like Apollo and Citigroup. Barshay previously chaired the firm's corporate department.
