Law.com February 4, 2026

Epstein Emails Expose Ex-Clifford Chance Lawyer's Hidden Ties

Documents released in the Epstein files investigation.

Key Takeaways

▶ Deputy AG Todd Blanche attacked Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie for naming individuals from unredacted Epstein files, calling them 'completely random people.'
▶ Kathryn Ruemmler, former Obama White House counsel and Goldman Sachs general counsel, resigned after emails showed she referred to Epstein as 'Uncle Jeffrey.'
▶ Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO of DP World, was removed after appearing 4,700 times in Epstein files released under the Transparency Act.
▶ A former trainee at Clifford Chance, one of the world's largest law firms, was named in newly released documents, expanding the scope of Epstein's legal network.
▶ Les Wexner, who gave Epstein power of attorney and transferred a $77 million Manhattan mansion for $0, was labeled a co-conspirator by Rep. Massie on the House floor.

A former trainee at Clifford Chance, one of the world’s largest law firms, was named in newly released Epstein documents after hundreds of emails between her and Jeffrey Epstein were disclosed by the Department of Justice, according to Law.com.¹ The revelation is part of a broader week of fallout from the Epstein files that has produced executive resignations, congressional floor speeches naming redacted individuals and sharp clashes between lawmakers and the DOJ.

The Clifford Chance Connection

The former trainee, identified only as “V” in legal filings, worked in Clifford Chance’s Paris office from 2011 to 2012, according to RollOnFriday.¹⁶ The correspondence began in the summer of 2011, when the woman was 21 and Epstein was 58 — three years after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor.¹⁶

The emails included exchanges that were sexual in nature and did not reflect an attorney-client relationship, according to Law.com.¹ Some emails appeared to have been sent from a work account bearing a Clifford Chance signature block.¹ Other messages showed her seeking career advice, including guidance on applications to other firms.¹

After leaving Clifford Chance in 2012, the woman continued corresponding with Epstein until at least 2019, months before his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, according to RollOnFriday.¹⁶ Through her attorneys at Boies Schiller Flexner, the woman identified herself as a victim of Epstein and said her name had been inadvertently left unredacted in the DOJ release.¹⁶

A Clifford Chance spokesperson told RollOnFriday the firm had never acted for Epstein and that the correspondence was unrelated to firm business.¹⁶

Congressional Floor Speeches

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have used the Speech and Debate Clause of the Constitution to name individuals whose identities remain redacted in the official release. Massie named six men during one floor speech.⁵

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responded by accusing the lawmakers of naming “completely random people,” according to The Hill.² The Guardian confirmed that four men named by Khanna had no documented Epstein ties, but other individuals named from the floor have subsequently departed their positions.¹³

Executive Departures

Kathryn Ruemmler, former Obama White House counsel and Goldman Sachs general counsel, resigned after emails surfaced in the files, according to Axios.³ Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO and chairman of DP World, stepped down after appearing 4,700 times in the documents, according to CBS News.⁴

Wexner and Political Connections

Leslie Wexner, the billionaire founder of Victoria’s Secret and Epstein’s only confirmed financial client, gave Epstein power of attorney over his finances and transferred a $77 million Manhattan mansion to Epstein for $0, according to public records.⁸ A congressman labeled Wexner a “co-conspirator” on the House floor.⁵ Wexner has not been charged with any crime related to Epstein.

A separate report documented that a senator voted against the Epstein Transparency Act after his PAC received a donation from a group whose donors include individuals named in the files.¹⁰

The Disclosure Gap

Members of Congress have access to unredacted files through their oversight authority. The public does not.² The DOJ was also found to have been tracking which lawmakers searched the files, raising constitutional concerns.¹⁴

The congressional investigation continues. Multiple figures have been called to testify, including Lord Peter Mandelson and Wexner.⁸¹⁵ Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced bipartisan criticism over the pace and scope of the releases.²