Wall St. Lawyer Brad Karp Says He Regrets Epstein Interactions; The New York Times, February 2, 2026

 Michael S. Schmidt and Matthew Goldstein , The New York Times; Wall St. Lawyer Brad Karp Says He Regrets Epstein Interactions

"Brad Karp, chairman of the giant law firm Paul Weiss, said on Monday that he regretted his social interactions with Jeffery Epstein, after a series of emails revealed that the prominent lawyer had socialized with the disgraced financier and, at one point, asked him for help landing his son a job on a Woody Allen movie...

Mr. Karp was in the news last year after Paul Weiss cut a deal with President Trump to head off a potentially crippling executive order. The firm’s settlement was criticized in the legal community and was seen as empowering Mr. Trump to go after other big law firms over their legal work for some of his political opponents.

The emails released on Friday revealed that Mr. Karp had attended two dinners at Mr. Epstein’s mansion in New York. At one of the dinners, in 2015, Mr. Karp met Mr. Allen, the movie director. After the dinner, Mr. Karp sent Mr. Epstein an email in which he thanked him for “an evening I’ll never forget.”

Later, Mr. Karp emailed Mr. Epstein asking him if could help his son get work on one of Mr. Allen’s movies."

Law Firm Bends in Face of Trump Demands; The New York Times, March 20, 2025

Michael S. Schmidt, The New York Times ; Law Firm Bends in Face of Trump Demands

[Kip Currier: This law firm's capitulation and transactionalism epitomizes the definition of craven: 

contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly

It's also a terrible precedent to set for the rule of law, the legal profession, and democracy.]

[Excerpt]

"President Trump and the head of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP have reached a deal under which Mr. Trump will drop the executive order he leveled against the firm, Mr. Trump said on Thursday.

In the deal, Mr. Trump said, the firm agreed to a series of commitments, including to represent clients no matter their political affiliation and contribute $40 million in legal services to causes Mr. Trump has championed, including “the President’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, and other mutually agreed projects.

It’s unclear how the money will be used to help the task force. The firm, Mr. Trump said, also agreed to conduct an audit to ensure its hiring practices are merit based “and will not adopt, use, or pursue any DEI policies.”"