Columbia Hired Epstein's Lawyer Despite Ties to Sex Offender

Lawyer who negotiated Epstein's 2008 plea deal later worked for Columbia University on civil rights case

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Newly unsealed documents reveal that Jay Lefkowitz, the lawyer who represented Jeffrey Epstein in his 2008 teen sex crimes plea deal, maintained a personal relationship with Epstein after his conviction. This included using Epstein's private helicopter, attending his dinner parties, and even inviting Epstein to his son's bar mitzvah. Despite this, Columbia University later hired Lefkowitz to help negotiate the school's $221 million settlement with the Trump administration over civil rights claims of discrimination against Jewish students.

Why it matters

Victim-rights groups have expressed outrage that Columbia University would hire a lawyer with such close ties to the convicted sex offender Epstein. They argue the university could have found other qualified attorneys without Lefkowitz's controversial history.

The details

Lefkowitz was one of the attorneys who negotiated Epstein's controversial 2008 plea deal in Florida, in which Epstein avoided federal charges that could have resulted in a life sentence and instead received an 18-month state prison sentence. Epstein was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl $200 to give him a massage, during which he used a vibrator on her while masturbating. After his release, Epstein gave nearly $1 million in donations to charities favored by Lefkowitz and others on his legal team as a 'bonus' for the plea deal.

  • In 2005, Epstein was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl $200 for a massage at his Palm Beach mansion.
  • In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18, receiving an 18-month state prison sentence.
  • In 2023, Columbia University hired Lefkowitz to help negotiate a $221 million settlement with the Trump administration over civil rights claims of discrimination against Jewish students.

The players

Jay Lefkowitz

The lawyer who represented Jeffrey Epstein in his 2008 teen sex crimes plea deal and later worked for Columbia University.

Jeffrey Epstein

The convicted sex offender whose 2008 plea deal Lefkowitz negotiated.

Columbia University

The Ivy League institution that hired Lefkowitz to help negotiate a $221 million settlement with the Trump administration over civil rights claims of discrimination against Jewish students.

Erica Vladimer

The co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group who criticized Columbia's hiring of Lefkowitz.

Claire Shipman

The acting president of Columbia University who was questioned about Lefkowitz's ties to Epstein.

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What they’re saying

“It's absolutely not appropriate. There are plenty of attorneys out there Columbia could have hired who don't have a reputation for defending child sex abusers.”

— Erica Vladimer, Co-founder, Sexual Harassment Working Group (The Post)

“Premature to address the Columbia-Epstein connections but it would be done at a future meeting.”

— Claire Shipman, Acting President, Columbia University (Columbia Spectator)

What’s next

The Columbia faculty Senate is expected to further discuss Lefkowitz's ties to Epstein and the university's decision to hire him at a future meeting.

The takeaway

This case raises serious questions about Columbia University's judgment in hiring a lawyer with such close personal ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, despite the public outrage over Epstein's lenient plea deal. It highlights the need for greater scrutiny of the backgrounds and associations of those hired to represent prestigious institutions.