What role did Brad Edwards play in the Epstein case?

Bradley J. Edwards is a Fort Lauderdale-based civil attorney who first took on Epstein victims’ cases in 2008 and became one of the most prominent advocates in the legal fight against Epstein and for accountability beyond him.

How He Got Involved: Edwards began representing Epstein’s victims shortly after the 2008 plea deal, when their families sought legal help after feeling betrayed by the NPA. He was one of the first attorneys to recognize the agreement violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.

The CVRA Lawsuit: Edwards, along with Paul Cassell, filed the landmark civil lawsuit arguing that the 2008 NPA violated the CVRA by concealing the agreement from victims. They spent a decade litigating this case, which Judge Marra ultimately ruled in their favor in 2019, finding prosecutors had violated victims’ rights.

Suing Epstein’s Associates: Edwards brought numerous civil lawsuits against Epstein and later against his associates. He represented multiple women in suits against Ghislaine Maxwell, Jean-Luc Brunel, and others in the network.

Perseverance: Edwards notably continued representing victims for over 15 years without major financial success until the cases began settling. He became a symbol of long-term commitment to victims when many others had moved on.

His Book: Edwards co-authored “Relentless Pursuit” (2020) with journalist Sarah Weinman, documenting his decade-plus of work on the case, the obstacles he faced, and the treatment of Epstein’s victims by the justice system.

Impact: His legal work directly contributed to the 2019 SDNY prosecution by keeping public and legal pressure on the case and establishing in court that the 2008 deal had been illegally concealed.