Cleary Gottlieb Elects Jeffrey Karpf as Managing Partner

Cleary Gottlieb announced today that Jeff Karpf has been elected Managing Partner, effective January 1, 2026. He will succeed Michael Gerstenzang, who has led the firm since 2017 and will continue in a new senior leadership role, as the firm’s Senior Partner, following the completion of his third term.

Jeff has spent his entire career at the firm and is widely recognized for his work on complex U.S. and international corporate and financial transactions, as well as a range of corporate governance matters. He regularly advises financial institutions, public companies, and private capital clients and has been at the forefront of developments in capital markets and securities regulation, drawing on deep experience representing clients on IPOs, public and private equity, debt, convertibles, and liability management transactions.

During his 30+ years at Cleary, Jeff has served in numerous leadership positions, including two terms on the firm’s Executive Committee and as a practice group leader for the Corporate and Capital Markets practices.

“Cleary has built an exceptional foundation of talent, culture, and client trust over many decades,” said Jeff. “I am deeply honored by the confidence my partners have placed in me. Building on Michael’s accomplishments, I am committed to leading the firm through its next chapter by continuing to invest strategically in our people, deepening our client relationships globally, and embracing innovation to drive growth while enhancing how we deliver world-class legal services.”

Michael’s three terms as Managing Partner marked a period of exceptional transformation and growth for Cleary. Under his leadership, the firm achieved record financial results and consistently secured highly successful outcomes for the world’s most sophisticated clients. The firm expanded its global platform in new and strategic markets, deepened its capabilities across core practices including M&A, private equity, private funds, litigation, antitrust, and capital solutions, and has been at the forefront in embedding AI in its work.

“Cleary’s growth trajectory has been very strong, accelerating in recent years,” added Jeff. “I intend to build on that momentum as we deepen our capabilities in the areas and geographies that matter most for our clients and continue delivering exceptional results through Cleary’s international platform.”

“Jeff is an exceptional leader who embodies Cleary’s client-first culture,” said Michael. “I am enormously proud of what our firm has achieved during the past nine years. Today, Cleary is more dynamic and ambitious than ever. I am confident that Jeff’s vision, experience, and leadership will continue to propel Cleary forward in the years ahead.”