NEW YORK, Aug 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala

Harris' campaign to win the White House is getting a huge boost

from Paul Weiss, a white shoe law firm with deep links to the

Democratic Party.

A favorite of Big Tech and Wall Street, Paul Weiss employees

have donated more to Democratic candidates this election cycle

than any other law firm. A partner from the firm has also helped

Harris prepare for debates, while Chairman Brad Karp is rallying

other lawyers around the vice president.

Last week, Karp launched a fundraising effort for Harris in

the legal community, reaching out to nearly 300 corporate

lawyers, some of whom had supported her 2020 presidential bid.

More than half of the lawyers on the email, seen by Reuters,

work at Paul Weiss.

Relationships between law firms and political candidates --

particularly a candidate like Harris who is herself a lawyer --

are nothing new. But advocacy groups are concerned that funders

with corporate ties could wield outsized influence, shifting

Harris away from policies under President Joe Biden that have

chafed the business community.

"There is definitely a concern that the revolving door

between the Democratic Party and Big Law serves the interests of

not only the politicians but clients of the revolving-door

officials," said Jeff Hauser, founder of the Revolving Door

Project.

Karen Dunn -- who co-leads the firm's litigation group and

is part of Harris' debate prep team, according to sources

familiar with preparations -- is the lead lawyer for Alphabet's

Google at an antitrust trial scheduled to start on

Sept. 9, the day before Harris' first debate with former

President Donald Trump.

Dunn has served as an associate White House counsel for

then-President Barack Obama, and helped him, Harris, and Hillary

Clinton prepare for past debates. She has also represented Apple ( AAPL )

and Uber ( UBER ).

Paul Weiss lawyers and staff have given at least $1.4

million to Democrats in the 2024 election cycle, the most of any

law firm tracked by OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan research group

that analyzes campaign finance records.

Donations from lawyers and legal industry employees this

election cycle have largely gone to Biden, whose campaign Harris

took over in mid-July. The Biden campaign received at least

$14.5 million, while Trump has received at least $2.5 million,

according to OpenSecrets.

Karp, who has been the firm's chairman since 2008, was among

Biden's top fundraisers in 2020, after fundraising for Harris

during the Democratic nominating contests that Biden won.

Karp's relationship with Harris goes back about a decade.

He and Paul Weiss represented Citigroup ( C/PN ) in 2014, when

it was among the banks being investigated by state and federal

authorities -- including Harris, then California's attorney

general -- over mortgage-backed securities.

"I came away from that experience enormously impressed by

her intellect, tenacity and creativity, and have supported her

political efforts since," Karp told Reuters.

He's now working with other law firm and business leaders to

raise funds for Harris, and recruiting lawyers to address

potential election law issues in what he sees as the most

consequential election in recent history.

Karp also serves on the board of a nonprofit that furnishes

the vice presidential residence.

Several other partners at the firm support Harris'

candidacy.

Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former U.S.

Attorney Melinda Haag, former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh

Johnson -- all Paul Weiss partners -- are among former

Democratic officials who have publicly endorsed her.

Jo-Ellen Pozner, who teaches ethics at Santa Clara

University's Leavey School of Business, said lawyers have a

vested interest in the stability of the legal system. At the

same time, donors wield influence.

"Donors definitely are looking for relationships that they

can call in," she said.