Brad Karp resigns as Paul Weiss chair amid Epstein files fallout

Brad Karp, the chairman of law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison resigned that position on Wednesday, after the most recent batch of Epstein files released by the Justice Department contained correspondence between Karp and Jeffrey Epstein.

“Recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm,” Karp said in a statement released by the firm, which also said that his resignation was effective immediately.

Paul Weiss, as the firm is commonly known in corporate circles, is one of the most prestigious and high-powered law firms in the country.

Karp has chaired the firm since 2008 and has spent his entire 40-year career there.

Paul Weiss indicated that Karp was not leaving the firm entirely. “Mr. Karp will continue to focus his full-time attention to client service at the firm,” the firm’s statement said.

Documents released on Friday and posted to the Justice Department’s website show dozens of email exchanges between Karp and Epstein, or Karp and Epstein’s assistant, spanning multiple years, including 2015 through 2019. The emails were about a variety of topics.

Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges in 2008.

Some of the emails show that Karp planned to take meetings with Epstein at the convicted sex trafficker’s infamous New York City townhouse.

The documents also showed Karp helping Epstein with his plea deal on sex trafficking charges. “The draft motion is in great shape,” Karp said in an email sent in March 2019.

Another exchange in 2015 shows Karp writing, “you’re amazing” to Epstein directly after describing “an evening I’ll never forget.”

“It was truly ‘once in a lifetime’ in every way,” Karp says of the evening. “You are an extraordinary host.” More details about the dinner were not immediately clear.

In 2016, Karp wrote to Epstein asking if Epstein could help his son, who he described as an up-and-coming filmmaker, secure work “in any capacity, with Woody [Allen].”

Paul Weiss has said that the firm and Karp never represented Epstein.

Karp said earlier this week that he regretted his interactions with Epstein.

The exchanges were not the only issue facing Karp. Last year, Karp signed an agreement with the White House which committed the firm to providing $40 million worth of pro bono legal services to causes backed by President Donald Trump.

That agreement faced fierce blowback from the corporate and legal communities.

Trump eventually rescinded the executive order which led to the deal between the White House and the law firm.

Karp’s replacement as chairman will be Scott Barshay, a corporate lawyer at the firm.

Paul Weiss has represented some of the most notable companies in corporate America, from Exxon Mobil to Facebook owner Meta Platforms. The firm has also played a role in recent high-profile mergers, such as when WarnerMedia merged with cable channel conglomerate Discovery.