You’ve probably heard the name Brad Karp if you spend any time near a Bloomberg terminal or inside a white-shoe law firm. People call him the "most connected lawyer in the country." But honestly? That title kinda undersells what’s actually happening at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. It isn’t just about having a big Rolodex.
It’s about how Karp has turned a 150-year-old institution into a modern-day wrecking ball.
Most folks think Big Law is this slow, dusty machine. They imagine mahogany desks and partners who haven't changed their ties since 1994. Brad Karp and Paul Weiss have basically torched that stereotype. Since taking the reins as Chairman in 2008, Karp hasn't just managed the firm; he's aggressively expanded its footprint into places where other firms were too scared or too slow to go.
The Myth of the "Safe" Chairman
There's this idea that a firm chairman is just a figurehead. Someone to cut ribbons and sign off on holiday bonuses. That’s not Karp. If you look at the recent moves in London and Los Angeles, you see a strategy that's more like a tech startup's blitzscaling than a traditional legal practice.
In late 2023 and throughout 2024, Paul Weiss pulled off what many in the industry called a "once-in-a-lifetime" talent grab. They snagged elite private equity teams from rivals like Kirkland & Ellis. It wasn't just a couple of partners; it was a full-scale migration.
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Why does this matter? Because it shifted the firm's gravity. For decades, Paul Weiss was the "litigation powerhouse." If you were a bank like Citigroup or JPMorgan and you were in deep trouble, you called Brad. But now? They are just as likely to be the ones handling a $10 billion M&A deal or a massive infrastructure project.
Dealing with the AI Elephant
Everyone is talking about AI. Most law firm leaders give a canned response about "efficiency" and "client value." Karp is a bit more blunt. He’s gone on record saying that junior associates will eventually be supplemented—or even replaced—by technologists and data scientists for certain tasks.
"We will see more and more work come to be characterized as commoditized and increasingly be handled by AI technologists," Karp noted recently.
It’s a gutsy thing to say when you’re trying to recruit the brightest law students from Harvard and Yale. But it’s also the truth. The firm has already partnered with HarveyAI to build custom workflows. They aren't waiting for the future to happen; they're trying to own the tools that build it.
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The Billable Hour vs. The "Bet-the-Company" Result
Let’s talk about money. Paul Weiss isn't the cheapest firm on the block. Far from it. But if you’re facing a $30 billion claim—like the Parmalat case where Karp helped Citigroup not just win, but recover $400 million—you don't care about the hourly rate. You care about the result.
Karp’s philosophy is basically: be available 24/7 and solve the problem before it hits the headlines. He’s known for writing a monthly column in the New York Law Journal for over 35 years. Think about that. The man runs one of the most profitable firms on earth and still finds time to analyze Second Circuit developments every single month. That’s not just work ethic; it’s an obsession with the craft.
What’s New in 2025 and 2026?
The firm isn't sitting still. Just recently, they’ve made huge bets on:
- Infrastructure and Energy: They just brought on heavy hitters like Kelann Stirling and Jamie Franklin to lead project finance.
- Sports Law: They launched a dedicated sports practice. They’re even the official law firm for the NY/NJ World Cup 2026 Host Committee.
- Global Expansion: The London office is no longer just a satellite; it’s a core engine for European private equity.
The Social Justice Paradox
You can't talk about Brad Karp without mentioning his pro bono work. It’s a weird mix for some people to digest. On one hand, he represents the biggest banks in the world. On the other, he’s writing op-eds in The New York Times about gun control and immigrant rights.
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He’s pushed the firm to take on massive, decades-long cases, like the one ensuring rights for residents of adult homes in New York City. Some critics might call it "reputation management," but the sheer volume of hours the firm puts into social justice suggests it’s baked into the culture. It’s what he calls the "cultural glue" of the firm.
Misconceptions You Should Probably Ignore
- "They only do litigation": False. Their corporate department, led by Scott Barshay, is now a top-tier M&A force.
- "Karp is retiring soon": He’s been Chairman since 2008. While people always speculate, his recent moves suggest he’s still playing the long game.
- "Big Law is dying": Maybe the mid-market firms are struggling, but the "Elite 20" are actually pulling further away from the pack. Paul Weiss is right at the front of that line.
Actionable Insights for the Legal and Business World
If you’re a client, a competitor, or a young lawyer, here is what you can learn from the Paul Weiss playbook:
- Relationship over Transaction: Karp doesn't just "do a deal." He builds a 20-year moat around a client. If you're in business, stop looking at the next invoice and start looking at the next decade.
- Embrace the Tech, Keep the Talent: Don't fear AI, but don't think it replaces judgment. Use the tech to kill the boring work so your best people can do the "thinking" work.
- Culture is a Retention Tool: In a world where partners jump ship for an extra million dollars, having a "distinctive culture" (the old-fashioned, collaborative vibe Karp talks about) is actually a competitive advantage.
- Speed is a Feature: In "bet-the-company" scenarios, the first person to have a coherent strategy wins. Be the person on speed dial.
Whether you love or hate the Big Law model, you have to respect the hustle. Brad Karp has kept Paul Weiss at the center of the conversation by refusing to let the firm act its age.
To stay ahead of how these shifts affect the broader market, keep a close watch on the firm's next moves in the private credit and digital infrastructure spaces. These are the sectors likely to define their revenue growth through the end of 2026.