US Vice-President Kamala Harris' bid for the White House is receiving significant support from Paul Weiss, a prominent law firm closely connected to the Democratic Party. Known for its ties to Big Tech and Wall Street, Paul Weiss has seen its employees contribute more to Democratic candidates during this election cycle than any other law firm. A partner at the firm has assisted Harris in preparing for debates, and chairman Brad Karp is mobilizing other lawyers to back the vice-president. Recently, Karp initiated a fundraising drive for Harris within the legal community, contacting nearly 300 corporate lawyers, many of whom had previously supported her 2020 presidential campaign. Over half of the lawyers on the email, as seen by Reuters, are from Paul Weiss.
The association between law firms and political candidates, especially those like Harris who have legal backgrounds, is not unprecedented. However, advocacy groups express concern that corporate-linked donors could exert disproportionate influence, potentially steering Harris away from policies that President Joe Biden has championed, which have been unpopular with the business community. "There is definitely a concern that the revolving door between the Democratic Party and Big Law serves the interests of not only the politicians but clients of the revolving-door officials," stated Jeff Hauser, founder of the Revolving Door Project. Karen Dunn, who co-leads the firm's litigation group and is part of Harris' debate preparation team, is representing Alphabet's Google in an antitrust trial set to begin on September 9, the day before Harris' first debate with former President Donald Trump. Dunn has previously served as an associate White House counsel for President Barack Obama and has represented Apple and Uber.
Paul Weiss lawyers and staff have contributed at least $1.4 million to Democrats in the 2024 election cycle, more than any other law firm tracked by OpenSecrets, a non-partisan research group that analyzes campaign finance records. Contributions from the legal industry this election cycle have predominantly favored Biden, whose campaign Harris took over in mid-July. The Biden campaign received at least $14.5 million, while Trump received at least $2.5 million, according to OpenSecrets. Karp, who has been the firm's chairman since 2008, was one of Biden's top fundraisers in 2020, after previously fundraising for Harris during the Democratic primaries. Karp's relationship with Harris dates back about a decade. He and Paul Weiss represented Citigroup in 2014 during an investigation by state and federal authorities, including Harris, then California's attorney-general, into mortgage-backed securities. "I came away from that experience enormously impressed by her intellect, tenacity, and creativity, and have supported her political efforts since," Karp noted. He is now coordinating with other law firm and business leaders to raise funds for Harris and is recruiting lawyers to address potential election law issues in what he views as the most consequential election in recent history. Karp also sits on the board of a non-profit that manages the vice-presidential residence. Several other partners at the firm are backing Harris' candidacy. Former US attorney-general Loretta Lynch, former Ua Attorney Melinda Haag, and former Homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson, all Paul Weiss partners, are among former Democratic officials who have publicly endorsed her. Jo-Ellen Pozner, who teaches ethics at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business, noted that lawyers have a vested interest in the stability of the legal system, and donors seek to establish influential relationships.
