Brad Karp, the long-standing chairman of Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss, has resigned from his leadership position. Scott Barshay, a partner at the firm, will succeed Karp. The move follows the release of emails by the U.S. Department of Justice that detail extensive personal and business communications between Karp and the late Jeffrey Epstein. These revelations have brought scrutiny upon Karp, leading to his decision to step down. Paul Weiss is a law firm employing over 1,000 lawyers, renowned for representing major financial institutions such as Apollo and Citigroup in deals and litigation.
In a statement released by Paul Weiss, Karp stated that recent reporting had created a distraction that was not in the best interest of the firm. The firm previously acknowledged that Karp regretted his interactions with Epstein. Emails reviewed by Reuters reveal that Karp attended dinners with Epstein and sought his assistance in securing a job for his son on a Woody Allen film production.
Karp had served as chairman of Paul Weiss since 2008, overseeing significant growth in the firm’s annual revenues, which exceeded $2.6 billion in 2024. While known as a defender of Wall Street, he also championed social justice causes and was a fundraiser for the Democratic Party. Karp’s initial connection with Epstein stemmed from his representation of Leon Black, co-founder and former chairman of Apollo Global Management.
In March, Paul Weiss and Karp faced criticism for agreeing to pledge tens of millions of dollars in pro bono legal work to causes supported by the White House, in exchange for the Trump administration rescinding an executive order targeting the firm. The order, which restricted Paul Weiss’ government access and federal contracting work, cited the firm’s connections to Trump’s political opponents and its diversity initiatives. Karp defended the deal, stating that the executive order threatened the firm’s survival.
