{"id":150315,"date":"2026-05-04T13:13:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:13:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/05\/04\/brad-karp-takes-his-epstein-stained-resume-to-harvard-law\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T13:13:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:13:49","slug":"brad-karp-takes-his-epstein-stained-resume-to-harvard-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/05\/04\/brad-karp-takes-his-epstein-stained-resume-to-harvard-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Brad Karp Takes His Epstein-Stained R\u00e9sum\u00e9 To Harvard Law"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brad Karp is back in law school. The former Paul, Weiss chair, you\u2019ll recall, became notorious in the world of Biglaw when, under Karp\u2019s leadership, the firm became the first to cut a deal with the Trump administration<\/a>, agreeing to eliminate DEI programs and pledge $40 million in pro bono services to Trump initiatives in exchange for relief from an executive order targeting the firm. And the hits just kept coming: Karp stepped down in February<\/a> after the Epstein files revealed a relationship with the late sex trafficker that went well beyond the firm\u2019s carefully maintained \u201cadverse parties\u201d talking point. But he isn\u2019t hiding under a rock and he recently appeared as a guest in Harvard Law School professor Annette Gordon-Reed\u2019s \u201cLegal Professions\u201d course. And if you were hoping Karp had developed some new self-awareness well\u2026 not exactly.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take the Trump deal first, since Gordon-Reed apparently gave Karp some cover on the Epstein front (more on that in a moment).<\/p>\n

According to the Harvard Crimson<\/a>, Karp told students that Paul, Weiss partners unanimously<\/em> agreed to attempt a settlement with the Trump administration because of concerns that other major firms would poach the firm\u2019s clients and partners. This is, at bottom, the same finger-pointing we saw when his internal email was published<\/a>, blame the competitors, not the cowardice. The partners were scared of being picked clean, so they kissed the ring. Got it.<\/p>\n

Karp also told students he had considered resigning from leadership over the deal but stayed on at his wife\u2019s urging. Touching. He also apparently argued that only firms that failed<\/em> to settle ended up in court with the administration.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing about that: the firms that fought back in court are winning<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey \u2014 they lawyered up and pushed back against executive orders that federal judges have repeatedly found unconstitutional<\/a>. The firms that took the principled stand and let the courts do what courts are supposed to do are doing just fine. So when Karp frames the capitulation as the pragmatic path, he\u2019s doing so in a world where the evidence increasingly suggests the opposite was true. Paul, Weiss remains the cautionary tale<\/a>; the firm that surrendered first, lost a wave of litigators, watched partner after partner head for the exits<\/a>, and set the template that made it easier for every subsequent firm to fold.<\/p>\n

And yet, here\u2019s Karp at Harvard Law telling a room full of future lawyers that fighting a winning battle in court is the real problem. Interesting interpretation. <\/p>\n

Now, about the Epstein questions \u2014 or rather, the lack thereof. Gordon-Reed told students there were \u201cno limits on questions save for questions involving his interactions with Epstein on behalf of firm clients.\u201d That\u2019s, erm, quite the carve out. <\/p>\n

Listen, a Legal Professions course is a fine place to discuss the limits of professional judgment, the pressures of institutional leadership, and what it looks like when a lawyer\u2019s personal conduct becomes a matter of public concern. But threading that needle by preemptively taking Epstein off the table means students were engaging with a curated version of Karp\u2019s story, not the whole one.<\/p>\n

To be clear, what the Epstein files showed<\/a> was not a picture of arm\u2019s-length lawyering. There were fawning emails. There were social engagements. There was Karp asking Epstein to help his son get a job on a Woody Allen production. There was a 2015 exchange in which Epstein asked Karp about revoking a woman\u2019s visa and Karp replied, \u201cBoth good ideas; will work on this.\u201d And there were 2019 emails in which Karp reviewed a draft filing related to Epstein\u2019s plea deal \u2014 praising arguments that characterized the sex trafficking victims as having strategically \u201clied in wait\u201d \u2014 which is, to put it mildly, not what you do for someone you\u2019re adverse to.<\/p>\n

Not all the students were satisfied with the Epstein embargo. \u201cI think Mr. Karp\u2019s association with this University and its leadership from the highest levels is very difficult to square away with its stated values of egalitarianism and respect for all individuals,\u201d third-year student Jackson S. Faulkner told the Crimson. \u201cAnyone who helps try to deport somebody on behalf of a private individual to cover the sexual abuse case, as the records in the Epstein files indicate, should cause anyone serious alarm.\u201d<\/p>\n

And one student was able to lodge their protest in real time. Throughout the Zoom session, someone projected a photo of Jeffrey Epstein on their laptop \u2014 positioning it in view of the camera \u2014 in silent protest of Karp\u2019s presence. It\u2019s the 2026 version of the \u201cFor Trump?\u201d heckle<\/a> at the New York Bar Foundation gala, and honestly, that heckler also had a point<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a man who spent nearly two decades atop one of the most prestigious law firms in the world, who cultivated a reputation as a giant of the profession, who once spoke grandly about moral courage<\/a>, being reduced to the guy someone silently Epstein-posts at on a Zoom call is a remarkable fall.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of\u00a0The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of\u00a0Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email\u00a0her<\/a>\u00a0with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter\u00a0@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Bluesky\u00a0@Kathryn1<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post Brad Karp Takes His Epstein-Stained R\u00e9sum\u00e9 To Harvard Law<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Brad Karp is back in law school. The former Paul, Weiss chair, you\u2019ll recall, became notorious in the world of Biglaw when, under Karp\u2019s leadership, the firm became the first to cut a deal with the Trump administration<\/a>, agreeing to eliminate DEI programs and pledge $40 million in pro bono services to Trump initiatives in exchange for relief from an executive order targeting the firm. And the hits just kept coming: Karp stepped down in February<\/a> after the Epstein files revealed a relationship with the late sex trafficker that went well beyond the firm\u2019s carefully maintained \u201cadverse parties\u201d talking point. But he isn\u2019t hiding under a rock and he recently appeared as a guest in Harvard Law School professor Annette Gordon-Reed\u2019s \u201cLegal Professions\u201d course. And if you were hoping Karp had developed some new self-awareness well\u2026 not exactly.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take the Trump deal first, since Gordon-Reed apparently gave Karp some cover on the Epstein front (more on that in a moment).<\/p>\n

According to the Harvard Crimson<\/a>, Karp told students that Paul, Weiss partners unanimously<\/em> agreed to attempt a settlement with the Trump administration because of concerns that other major firms would poach the firm\u2019s clients and partners. This is, at bottom, the same finger-pointing we saw when his internal email was published<\/a>, blame the competitors, not the cowardice. The partners were scared of being picked clean, so they kissed the ring. Got it.<\/p>\n

Karp also told students he had considered resigning from leadership over the deal but stayed on at his wife\u2019s urging. Touching. He also apparently argued that only firms that failed<\/em> to settle ended up in court with the administration.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing about that: the firms that fought back in court are winning<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey \u2014 they lawyered up and pushed back against executive orders that federal judges have repeatedly found unconstitutional<\/a>. The firms that took the principled stand and let the courts do what courts are supposed to do are doing just fine. So when Karp frames the capitulation as the pragmatic path, he\u2019s doing so in a world where the evidence increasingly suggests the opposite was true. Paul, Weiss remains the cautionary tale<\/a>; the firm that surrendered first, lost a wave of litigators, watched partner after partner head for the exits<\/a>, and set the template that made it easier for every subsequent firm to fold.<\/p>\n

And yet, here\u2019s Karp at Harvard Law telling a room full of future lawyers that fighting a winning battle in court is the real problem. Interesting interpretation. <\/p>\n

Now, about the Epstein questions \u2014 or rather, the lack thereof. Gordon-Reed told students there were \u201cno limits on questions save for questions involving his interactions with Epstein on behalf of firm clients.\u201d That\u2019s, erm, quite the carve out. <\/p>\n

Listen, a Legal Professions course is a fine place to discuss the limits of professional judgment, the pressures of institutional leadership, and what it looks like when a lawyer\u2019s personal conduct becomes a matter of public concern. But threading that needle by preemptively taking Epstein off the table means students were engaging with a curated version of Karp\u2019s story, not the whole one.<\/p>\n

To be clear, what the Epstein files showed<\/a> was not a picture of arm\u2019s-length lawyering. There were fawning emails. There were social engagements. There was Karp asking Epstein to help his son get a job on a Woody Allen production. There was a 2015 exchange in which Epstein asked Karp about revoking a woman\u2019s visa and Karp replied, \u201cBoth good ideas; will work on this.\u201d And there were 2019 emails in which Karp reviewed a draft filing related to Epstein\u2019s plea deal \u2014 praising arguments that characterized the sex trafficking victims as having strategically \u201clied in wait\u201d \u2014 which is, to put it mildly, not what you do for someone you\u2019re adverse to.<\/p>\n

Not all the students were satisfied with the Epstein embargo. \u201cI think Mr. Karp\u2019s association with this University and its leadership from the highest levels is very difficult to square away with its stated values of egalitarianism and respect for all individuals,\u201d third-year student Jackson S. Faulkner told the Crimson. \u201cAnyone who helps try to deport somebody on behalf of a private individual to cover the sexual abuse case, as the records in the Epstein files indicate, should cause anyone serious alarm.\u201d<\/p>\n

And one student was able to lodge their protest in real time. Throughout the Zoom session, someone projected a photo of Jeffrey Epstein on their laptop \u2014 positioning it in view of the camera \u2014 in silent protest of Karp\u2019s presence. It\u2019s the 2026 version of the \u201cFor Trump?\u201d heckle<\/a> at the New York Bar Foundation gala, and honestly, that heckler also had a point<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a man who spent nearly two decades atop one of the most prestigious law firms in the world, who cultivated a reputation as a giant of the profession, who once spoke grandly about moral courage<\/a>, being reduced to the guy someone silently Epstein-posts at on a Zoom call is a remarkable fall.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of\u00a0The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of\u00a0Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email\u00a0her<\/a>\u00a0with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter\u00a0@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Bluesky\u00a0@Kathryn1<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brad Karp is back in law school. The former Paul, Weiss chair, you\u2019ll recall, became notorious in the world of Biglaw when, under Karp\u2019s leadership, the firm became the first to cut a deal with the Trump administration, agreeing to eliminate DEI programs and pledge $40 million in pro bono services to Trump initiatives in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":150316,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-150315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568-qO2GvL.jpg?fit=620%2C568&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150315"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150315\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}