Supreme Court lawyers leave law firm Paul Weiss for Davis Polk

April 23 (Reuters) - Two veteran U.S. ​Supreme Court lawyers ⁠are leaving law firm Paul Weiss ​for rival Davis Polk, another challenge for the firm after its longtime chairman Brad Karp in February ​resigned ‌from his leadership post.

Kannon Shanmugam and Masha Hansford will launch a Supreme Court practice at ⁠Davis Polk, a firm that, like Paul Weiss, ⁠is widely known for Wall Street ​deals and transactions.

Shanmugam has argued 39 cases at the Supreme Court, and is considered one of the most prominent appellate lawyers in the country.

Shanmugam and Hansford had no immediate ​comment. Davis ‌Polk, which employs more than 1,000 attorneys, confirmed the move but declined to comment further. Paul Weiss in a statement thanked Shanmugam and Hansford for their work. Shanmugam led the firm's Supreme Court practice.

Shanmugam’s clients have included ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, AstraZeneca and the ​National Football League. He was once a law clerk to the late U.S. Supreme ‌Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Paul Weiss, employing more than 1,500 lawyers, has faced scrutiny for more than a year since it ‌struck a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in March 2025 to escape an executive order that threatened its business operations. Karp defended the deal, which included a ​pledge by the firm to donate $40 million in free legal work to support the Trump administration’s causes. Eight ‌other law firms struck similar agreements with the White House last year. Four other firms won court orders blocking Trump's measures against them. Karp came under intense recent scrutiny after ⁠emails ⁠released by the U.S. Justice Department showed his personal and ‌business communications with the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Paul Weiss has said Karp “regrets” his ​interactions with Epstein. Karp ​has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Read more:

From Trump to ‌Epstein, how Brad Karp lost his grip on law firm Paul Weiss

Trump defense lawyers depart law firm Sullivan & Cromwell for Gibson Dunn

More partners leave Paul Weiss to join new law firm (Reporting by Mike Scarcella and David Thomas)

Astrazeneca

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.