Paul Weiss chair resigns from longtime role after release of Epstein emails
Brad Karp has resigned from his longtime role as chairperson of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison just days after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails that offered a deeper look into his relationship with disgraced multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein. (File photo by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison)
Brad Karp has resigned from his longtime role as chairperson of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison just days after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails that offered a deeper look into his relationship with disgraced multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Karp, who has spent his entire 40-year legal career with Paul Weiss and led the law firm since 2008, will remain there as a partner, Bloomberg Law reports.
The New York Times and Law.com also have coverage.
“Leading Paul Weiss for the past 18 years has been the honor of my professional life,” Karp said in a statement Wednesday. “Recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm.”
The DOJ released another batch of emails Friday from now-deceased child sex trafficker Epstein, who began corresponding with Karp as early as 2013. Among these emails are Karp’s request that Epstein help his son meet film director Woody Allen, as well as Karp and Epstein’s discussions of sexual misconduct accusations against ex-PBS talk show host Charlie Rose and former film producer Harvey Weinstein.
Paul Weiss appointed Scott Barshay as the new chairperson of the firm Wednesday. He previously chaired the firm’s corporate department and said in a statement Karp “transformed Paul Weiss in an unprecedented way to the great benefit of our clients.”
“We are grateful to him for his extraordinary dedication and service over his many years as chairman,” Barshay added.
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