Brad Karp stepped down from his position as chairman of Paul Weiss, one of America’s most prestigious law firms, on Wednesday evening following revelations about his communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The departure comes after the Department of Justice released a collection of emails showing interactions between the two men.
Karp’s tenure leading the firm spanned nearly two decades. In a brief statement, he acknowledged that recent media coverage had become disruptive, stating that attention directed at him personally was detrimental to the firm’s interests. He provided no additional details regarding his departure.
Paul Weiss employs more than 1,200 attorneys and counts among its clients major corporations such as Amazon, Exxon Mobil, and the National Football League. The firm has also built a reputation for pro bono work supporting immigrant advocacy organizations.
The newly released correspondence revealed that Karp had visited Epstein’s residence in New York and maintained regular email contact with him. During Epstein’s legal troubles involving underage sex trafficking, Karp offered guidance to the financier. In one message, he placed quotation marks around the word “victims” when referring to accusers, and suggested they had deliberately delayed coming forward while Epstein was incarcerated to gain strategic positioning.
The connection between Karp and Epstein originated through legal representation of Leon Black, the billionaire who helped establish Apollo Global Management. Black transferred approximately $170 million to Epstein, ostensibly for advisory services related to tax planning and estate management. Following this professional connection, Karp began socializing with Epstein on personal occasions.
In one instance, Karp requested Epstein’s assistance in securing employment for his son on a film project directed by Woody Allen. After attending a 2015 dinner party at Epstein’s Manhattan residence where Allen was among the guests, Karp sent an email to Epstein describing the experience as unforgettable. He praised Epstein’s hosting abilities in effusive terms.
According to statements from Paul Weiss attorneys speaking to The New York Times, some viewed the relationship as damaging to the firm’s reputation. Additional concerns arose when it emerged that Karp had received an email in which Epstein recommended that Black hire a private investigator to conduct surveillance on a woman with whom Black had previously been involved.
Earlier this week, Karp issued a statement expressing regret for his association with Epstein, characterizing their contact as limited to two group dinner gatherings in New York City along with a handful of social email exchanges.
Despite resigning from the chairmanship, Karp will continue working at Paul Weiss. Scott Barshay, who heads the firm’s corporate practice division, will assume the chairman role. The firm described Barshay as having more than three decades of experience providing counsel to corporate boards and executive leadership on sophisticated and high-profile legal issues.
Paul Weiss was among several prominent law firms that negotiated an agreement with the White House to circumvent an executive order that would have significantly limited the firm’s ability to represent clients in matters involving the federal government. Karp defended the settlement to the firm’s lawyers, explaining that the proposed restrictions, including prohibitions on Paul Weiss attorneys entering federal buildings, would have severely compromised their capacity to serve clients effectively.
However, the decision to settle generated discord among senior litigators at the firm who preferred to mount a legal challenge against the executive order rather than negotiate terms with the administration.
Karp now joins an expanding roster of individuals whose careers have been impacted by associations with Epstein following the release of documents detailing those connections.