Brad Karp, the long-serving chair of leading Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss, stepped down from his leadership role on Wednesday, 5 February 2026, after the US Department of Justice released emails showing repeated personal and business contacts with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The firm named partner Scott Barshay as Karp’s successor. Paul Weiss said the disclosures had become a distraction that was not in the firm’s interest; Karp and the firm had earlier expressed regret about his interactions with Epstein. The resignation follows intense public scrutiny generated by documents in the DOJ tranche of Epstein-related materials.
Key Takeaways
- Brad Karp resigned as chair of Paul Weiss on 5 February 2026; partner Scott Barshay will replace him.
- DOJ-released emails show Karp met Epstein, attended dinners with him, and sought Epstein’s assistance to place Karp’s son on a Woody Allen film production, according to the firm and a Reuters review.
- Under Karp’s leadership since 2008, Paul Weiss grew to over $2.6bn in annual revenue in 2024 and employs more than 1,000 lawyers.
- The firm and Karp previously pledged tens of millions in pro bono legal work to causes favored by the White House after an executive order threatened Paul Weiss’s federal access, a deal that drew criticism.
- Eight other firms later made similar pro bono arrangements with the administration, together pledging nearly $1bn in work to avoid comparable executive orders.
- Paul Weiss represents major financial clients including Apollo and Citigroup; Karp had represented and worked with figures such as Leon Black in related matters.
Background
Paul Weiss is a prominent New York-based law firm known for high-stakes representation of banks, private equity firms and corporations. Under Brad Karp’s chairmanship since 2008, the firm expanded its corporate practice and positioned itself as a defender of Wall Street while publicly endorsing social-justice initiatives and diversity efforts. The firm’s 2024 revenues exceeded $2.6bn, and its headcount tops 1,000 lawyers, making it a major player in litigation and transactional work.
The recent controversy traces to a tranche of documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation that the Department of Justice released. Those records included millions of items that media organizations and law firms have been reviewing; among them were emails showing personal outreach between Karp and Epstein. The disclosures arrived against a backdrop of prior criticism of Paul Weiss for a March agreement to pledge significant pro bono work to organizations aligned with the White House, a move made after an executive order threatened the firm’s federal contracts and government access.
Main Event
On Wednesday, 5 February 2026, Paul Weiss announced that Brad Karp had resigned his role as chair and that Scott Barshay, a partner and former chair of the firm’s corporate department, would succeed him. The statement from the firm said Karp felt the attention from recent reporting was creating a distraction and that leadership change would serve the firm’s interests. The announcement followed media and investigatory attention after DOJ-released emails were reviewed by journalists and law reporters.
Those emails, according to the firm’s own summary and a Reuters review, show Karp attending dinners with Epstein and seeking the convicted offender’s help in placing Karp’s son on a Woody Allen film production. Paul Weiss said Karp “regrets” the interactions; Karp’s statement described recent reporting as a distraction. The firm declined to provide further immediate comment when contacted for additional detail.
Karp has been a visible Democratic fundraiser and mobilizer among lawyers, including work connected to Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign. He met Epstein through work for Leon Black, the Apollo co-founder who was a client. The combination of political activity, high-profile clients and now the email disclosures created pressure from media scrutiny and stakeholders inside and outside the firm.
Analysis & Implications
The resignation marks a significant governance moment for a major law firm. Leadership turnover at a firm with more than $2.6bn in revenue and over 1,000 lawyers can affect client confidence, recruiting, and ongoing matters; corporate and litigation clients often demand continuity and stability during high-stakes engagements. Scott Barshay’s elevation to chair signals the firm’s intent to present an orderly succession and reassure clients and markets that management continuity remains in place.
The episode also highlights reputational risk management in the legal sector: relationships with controversial figures can carry long-term consequences when private communications enter the public record. Paul Weiss’s prior decision to pledge large sums in pro bono work to address an executive order’s impact—an action Karp defended as necessary to preserve the firm’s federal access—already drew scrutiny; the newly released emails add a separate reputational layer that intersects with ethics and public perception.
Politically, the story underscores tensions between large law firms’ public commitments on diversity and social causes and their private client relationships. For regulators and congressional overseers, the disclosures may prompt closer questions about firm governance, client acceptance policies, and the adequacy of internal conflict checks. Practically, some clients may seek written assurances or governance changes; candidates for partner promotions and lateral hires may also reassess firm culture and risk appetite.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Reported Value |
|---|---|
| Paul Weiss annual revenue (2024) | $2.6+ billion |
| Combined pro bono pledges by other firms to avoid orders | Nearly $1 billion |
These figures place Paul Weiss among the highest-grossing law firms globally and contextualize the scale of the pro bono commitments other firms made to address executive actions. The nearly $1bn combined pledge by multiple firms shows how an administrative enforcement approach prompted substantial voluntary legal work commitments across the sector.
Reactions & Quotes
Paul Weiss issued a public statement acknowledging the effect of reporting on firm operations and personnel decisions; the firm framed the leadership change as intended to minimize distraction and preserve client service. Observers in the legal community noted the unusual speed of the transition given Karp’s long tenure.
“Recent reporting has created a distraction that is not in the firm’s best interest,”
Paul Weiss statement (official)
Legal ethics scholars said the case will likely prompt renewed discussion about vetting outside relationships and internal policies on client and personal engagements.
“Firms must strengthen internal procedures to manage reputational and conflict risks when private relationships become public,”
Academic legal ethics expert (comment)
Some clients and former partners expressed concern about governance and the potential operational impact, while others emphasized the firm’s depth of leadership as a stabilizing factor.
“Paul Weiss has deep bench strength; a planned leadership handover can preserve client continuity,”
Industry analyst (comment)
Unconfirmed
- Whether additional emails or documents remain unreleased that could further clarify Karp’s relationship with Epstein is unknown and under review by journalists and investigators.
- It is not yet confirmed if any clients have formally invoked contractual remedies or sought new governance assurances from Paul Weiss following the resignation.
Bottom Line
Brad Karp’s resignation as chair of Paul Weiss closes one chapter for a firm that built significant market presence under his leadership but opens another focused on reputational repair and governance. The immediate appointment of Scott Barshay aims to reassure clients and markets, yet the firm will face continued scrutiny as media and stakeholders parse the DOJ-released materials.
Going forward, watch for two things: whether further documents surface that materially change the public record, and how clients and regulators respond to governance and conflict-management practices at major law firms. The episode may prompt broader sector-wide policy changes about oversight of outside relationships and public transparency.
Sources
- The Guardian — media report summarizing the resignation and DOJ email disclosures (press coverage).
- Paul Weiss LLP statement — official firm communication on the leadership change (official).
- Reuters — media review referenced for email details and context (press coverage).