Paul, Weiss Continues Building Finance Group - Alena Thomas Joins as Partner

 Crisis is binary. 

The business keeps moving forward, as the late Lou Gerstner orchestrated for IBM. There was a total comeback and more.

Or it halts, like a deer in the headlights, as Disney did during the early stages of Bob Iger's return to the CEO job. The stock took a beating, along with the confidence in the future of the magic kingdom. 

The crisis that has become the usual state of public affairs for Paul, Weiss is the sustained condemnation of its decision to negotiate with the Trump administration about an Executive Order. That deal was made in March 2025 and here we are in January 2026: Legacy media, legal tabloids and social networks keep up the ranting. 

But chair Brad Karp has stuck to the knitting, that is, implementing growth strategies. Among the latest is to build up the Finance Group. That's part of the Corporate Department, headed by iconic Scott Barshay.

The addition, poached from Sidley, is Alena Thomas. On the website, Paul, Weiss tells us:

"Thomas represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies in a wide range of financing transactions, including acquisition financings, cross-border transactions, debt restructurings and complex liability management transactions. She also has substantial expertise in arranging tailored financing structures, including first-lien, second-lien, unitranche, asset-based, recurring-revenue, back-leverage and high-yield financings."

Previously Paul, Weiss also brought into the Finance Group: 

 Nicholas Schwartz

Mark Adler 

Julie Ann Lamm. 

Karp's resolve to not be distracted by the noise in the court of public opinion and take care of business could be a sign of the declining influence and power of what we have come to think of a "public relations." In the bible of the industry - O'Dwyer's - EIC Kevin McCauley sizes up 2025 in this blunt way: 

"Layoffs, agency consolidations, client spending cuts and massive AI-related disruptions upended the PR business in 2025. WPP imploded and turned to Microsoft executive Cindy Rose to right a sinking ship. The Omnicom takeover of Interpublic resulted in thousands of pink slips ..."

Its glory days over, the public relations sector is struggling for survival, much like major chunks of tech, Hollywood, customer service and even sales in SaaS. Attention has shifted from the one-time holy grail of perception to concrete results. I instruct coaching clients to quantify results, not invest in brand-building so much. Recall how Iger relied on his branding from his first go-around at CEO when he moved back in ...

The vilification of Paul, Weiss has hardened into a kind of spiritual quest. But Paul, Weiss is still holding on to stars and poaching new ones. The business, like old Hollywood, runs on that high wattage. The 2025 financial results, as of Q3, were record. 

There's a meme at the world-class Toledo Museum of Art:


That could be the takeaway from the post-negotiation fallout. What really happened and was assumed to have happened or could happen? Those who see differently might be connecting the dots very differently.


Success is a mental game. Failure comes from being done in by the “committee” in your head.

Together, we reprogram your thinking. Then we change your story. And, unleash success.

Intuitive Coaching. Special expertise with transitions, becoming a solopreneur and aging. Psychic/tarot readings, upon request. Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova (Text 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com). Yes, test out the chemistry. Zero risk.

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