Brad Karp

Brad Karp served for many years as the chairman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison — commonly known as Paul Weiss — one of the most prominent corporate law firms in the United States. The firm is known for its work in high-stakes litigation, mergers and acquisitions, and government investigations, and counts major corporations and financial institutions among its clients. Karp’s chairmanship spanned a period of significant growth and visibility for the firm.

The Epstein Emails

Documents released under the Epstein Transparency Act revealed that Karp’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was deeper than had been previously known. A 2019 email disclosed in the files showed that Karp had offered his personal legal opinion to Epstein about the plea deal Epstein made in Florida roughly a decade earlier — the 2008 agreement in which Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and received an 18-month sentence.

The significance of the disclosure lay in the fact that Epstein was not a Paul Weiss client. Karp offering legal analysis to a non-client — particularly on a matter as sensitive as a sex crimes plea deal — represented an unusual exercise of his legal expertise in a personal capacity, one that raised questions about the nature and boundaries of his relationship with Epstein.

Resignation as Chairman

Karp resigned as chairman of Paul Weiss on February 4, 2026. He remained at the firm following his resignation, stepping back from the firm’s top leadership role while retaining his position as a partner. The firm did not provide detailed public comment on the circumstances of the transition.

Context

Karp’s case was one of several involving prominent legal figures whose connections to Epstein became matters of public record through the document releases. Kathryn Ruemmler, the former White House counsel and Goldman Sachs general counsel, resigned from Goldman on February 13, 2026 after “Uncle Jeffrey” emails surfaced. The parallel cases illustrated the extent to which Epstein had cultivated relationships with some of the most powerful lawyers in the country — relationships that those individuals maintained even after his 2008 conviction.

Documents

Primary-source records that reference Brad Karp. Inclusion in these documents is not, by itself, evidence of wrongdoing; Paul Weiss has stated the firm was adverse to Epstein and that neither it nor Karp ever represented him.

• House Oversight Committee — Epstein email correspondence release — Karp’s documented tie is to email correspondence with Epstein surfaced through the 2025–2026 disclosures. According to ABA Journal and Bloomberg Law reporting, the correspondence includes a March 3, 2019 email in which Karp reviewed and praised a draft court filing arguing Epstein’s 2008 plea deal should not be reopened.
• DOJ Epstein Files (EFTA release portal) — The Justice Department released a further batch of Epstein records on January 30, 2026 that included additional Karp–Epstein correspondence; reporting indicates the exchanges date back as early as 2013.