Brad Karp, the longtime chairman of the prominent corporate law firm Paul Weiss, resigned from his leadership role on Wednesday after emails exchanged with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became public, reports Baltimore Chronicle, via CNBC. Karp, who had served as chairman since 2008, stated that the recent media attention “has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm.” He will remain at Paul Weiss to continue working full-time on client matters.
Karp’s resignation comes after the firm disclosed that he had participated in two group dinners in New York City and exchanged a limited number of social emails with Epstein, interactions he expressed regret over. The emails were released last week as part of a large batch of documents related to Epstein by the Department of Justice. One email highlighted by Bloomberg revealed Karp requesting Epstein’s assistance in securing a role for his son in a Woody Allen production.
Paul Weiss emphasized that Karp and the firm never represented Epstein and had been retained by Leon Black, the CEO of Apollo, to negotiate various fee disputes with Epstein over several years. “The firm was adverse to Epstein, and at no point did Paul Weiss or Brad Karp ever represent him,” the firm stated.
Following Karp’s departure, Scott Barshay, previously chair of the firm’s corporate department, was appointed chairman with immediate effect. Barshay acknowledged Karp’s contributions, noting that under his leadership, Paul Weiss underwent transformative changes that benefited clients significantly. “We are grateful to him for his extraordinary dedication and service over his many years as Chairman,” Barshay said.
Karp, who has been with Paul Weiss for over forty years, also faced scrutiny last March for approving a $40 million legal services agreement provided pro bono for causes supported by former President Donald Trump, an action that led Trump to rescind a prior executive order targeting the firm.
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