Brad Karp, the chairman of the prestigious law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, stepped down on Wednesday. His resignation followed the release of documents by the Justice Department that included correspondence between Karp and the financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The release of these files has drawn significant attention and scrutiny towards Karp, diverting it away from firm priorities. In a statement, Karp shared the reason for his decision, emphasizing the distraction his situation has posed to the firm. The firm, commonly referred to as Paul Weiss, is renowned as one of the leading law firms in the United States and has been home to Karp throughout his 40-year career.
Although stepping down from his chairmanship, the firm noted that Karp would remain committed to serving clients at Paul Weiss. The Justice Department documents revealed extensive email correspondences between Karp and Epstein, as well as with Epstein’s assistant, covering various subjects from 2015 to 2019. Notably, some exchanges indicated that Karp had arranged meetings with Epstein at his notorious New York City residence. There were also communications regarding Epstein’s plea deal related to sex trafficking charges.
“The draft motion is in great shape,”
Karp noted in a March 2019 email. In a 2015 exchange, Karp complimented Epstein, writing, “You’re amazing,” after describing an unforgettable evening. Karp also inquired about opportunities for his son, an aspiring filmmaker, to work under the direction of Woody Allen.
Despite these interactions, Paul Weiss has affirmed that neither the firm nor Karp ever officially represented Epstein. Recently, Karp expressed regret over his communications with Epstein. These issues were compounded by a prior controversy involving an agreement Karp signed with the White House, committing the firm to provide $40 million in pro bono legal services aligned with initiatives supported by former President Donald Trump. This agreement met with criticism and was eventually nullified when Trump withdrew the executive order.
Scott Barshay, a corporate lawyer within the firm, has been named Karp’s successor as chairman. Paul Weiss has a reputation for representing major corporations such as Exxon Mobil and Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company. Furthermore, the firm has been active in landmark mergers, including the union between WarnerMedia and Discovery, a leader in cable channels.
This report has been compiled by Steve Kopack, a senior reporter at NBC News specializing in business and economic matters.