Scott Barshay's Leadership at Paul, Weiss Torpedoed, PR Nothing But a Joke, Sympathy for Brad Karp

 Last week was a bad, gone worse and worse, one for law firm Wachtell. 

This week starts out as what could upend the new leadership of Scott Barshay (The Decider) at Paul, Weiss. 

Today's very long-form article in The New York Times by Michael Schmidt and Jessica Silver-Greenberg depicts Barshay negatively. Understatement. He is rolled out as one-dimensionally power-driven, abrasive, divisive and downright naive about the power of the media. About the latter, he blew off any concern about the media's response to the law firm's removing from the website the Center to Combat Hate. 

An example of the beating delivered Barshay? Here is the NYT coverage of the response by some at Paul, Weiss when Barshay was hired:

"But there was unease among some at Paul Weiss. Partners and associates learned from lawyers at Cravath that some people there were not unhappy to see Mr. Barshay go. His ego made him difficult to work with, the Paul Weiss lawyers were told."

No ambiguity, Barshay is a skilled lawyer and a rainmaker. However, ever since he took over the role of chairperson at Paul, Weiss last February the question at Paul, Weiss, throughout entire legal sector and among the brass in the business community has been this: Can this guy lead, especially a law firm in crisis. It has been reeling from the perfect storm of:

Shift from being a highly principled litigation firm to a raw hustler for dealmaking business

Agreement with the Trump administration made to lift the Executive Order

Epstein files disclosures about relationship with then-chair Brad Karp

Flight of top litigation lawyers

Ramped-up competition, including the British Invasion by UK firms landing in the NYC market.

Could the Deciders who voted long-term chair Karp out and Barshay in return to that decision and force him out?

Also not looking good is Paul, Weiss spokesperson Laura Van Drie, as well as the whole role of public relations in prestigious organizations. Just like Tony Fratto at Goldman Sachs, she utters statements which those-in-know smirk about. Recall Fratto on the Kathy Ruemmler mess. It was a joke.

Here's a snippet related to Drie's performance at Paul, Weiss:

"In response to questions about its deal with the White House, a Paul Weiss spokeswoman, Laura Van Drie, said that 'any assertion that our independence has been jeopardized is completely false.'”

Meanwhile, come on, even those who, unlike so many of us, didn't like Karp, might now feel sympathy for the demeaning way he had been "handled" by Barshay et al. The guy, a kind of throwback to the WASPY code of gentility, didn't deserve that. And, with his nine-figure book of business he could regain a lot of power and influence at the firm, as of today. That could be invested in creating momentum to replace Barshay.

The elephant in the room, though, about this hatchet article is why the NYT is revisiting so many old issues, only with new examples? 

Well, that probably goes back to 2021. Journalists are solidarity oriented. They don't make a lot of money. All they have is pride in their craft. In the 1970s I started out as a journalist. That's my first professional loyalty.

Well, back then two of them - Sujeet Indap and Max Frumes - set out to investigate what was to become a bestselling expose on Wall Street and Big Law "The Caesars Palace Coup." Paul, Weiss was in the loop on that one. Its partners sent stern letters about alleged defamation to the journalists and to the actual publisher. Because of the latter, the two had to hire at their own expense legal assistance. 

That was probably not forgotten. In another expose on Big Law "Servants of the Damned" David Enrich devoted about five pages to Paul, Weiss. I read it as mean-spirited. For instance, Karp was described as a gossip. 

So, here Paul, Weiss is, with a chair such as Barshay who blows off media. 

Will the predictions market handle wagers about how long Barshay with last as leader?

In coaching, I guide clients to approach difficult situations from a position of nice. Karp navigated 18 years of leading an organization of power players through being authentically respectful and caring.

Careers. Forget all that. It’s about earning a good living, no matter what.

Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova, StreetSmart Coaching (janegenova374@gmail.com)


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