Goldman Sachs Chief Legal Officer Kathryn Ruemmler to Exit After Scrutiny Over Jeffrey Epstein Links

Goldman Sachs Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler will step down from her role at the end of June, following renewed media focus on her past professional interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Ruemmler, who joined the Wall Street firm in 2020 and has served as a close adviser to Chief Executive David Solomon, said the attention surrounding previously released documents had begun to weigh on the organisation. 

“I made the determination that the media attention on me, relating to my prior work as a defence attorney, was becoming a distraction,” she said in remarks reported by the Financial Times. 

In a separate statement, Ruemmler said it had been a privilege to help guide the bank’s legal, reputational and regulatory responsibilities and to strengthen its risk management culture. She added that her priority was to put the firm’s interests first and confirmed she had informed Solomon of her decision to resign effective June 30, 2026. 

Goldman had stood by its top lawyer for months after members of Congress and later the Department of Justice released emails between Ruemmler and Epstein, along with other investigative material. The correspondence triggered a wave of fresh coverage examining the nature of her past dealings with him during her time in private practice. 

Solomon praised Ruemmler’s tenure, describing her as an exceptional general counsel who provided steady advice on a broad range of significant legal matters. He said he respected her choice and acknowledged the impact she had as a mentor to many within the company. 

The resignation follows a report by The Wall Street Journal stating that Ruemmler was among the people Epstein sought to contact shortly after his July 2019 arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges. The newspaper cited handwritten law enforcement notes that were later included in documents made public by authorities. 

Ruemmler’s departure closes a six-year chapter in which she was one of the most senior legal and reputational gatekeepers at the firm, helping it navigate regulatory complexity while maintaining its stated commitment to integrity.