When Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathryn Ruemmler decided she would step aside after coverage of her ties to Jeffrey Epstein grew burdensome, executives expected the distraction was over. They were wrong.

Ruemmler didn't leave at the end of June and is instead staying in an advisory role to help transition to her successor, the bank told employees last month. That decision reignited concern inside the bank and complicated the search for a replacement, according to people familiar with the matter.

Ruemmler has been vetting candidates for her old job, leaving some with the impression the acting general counsel might not be ready. External candidates are wary because it's unclear how long she'll stay and in what capacity.

Meanwhile, Ruemmler has campaigned to reset the narrative about her Epstein relationship, keeping it in headlines. This week she testifies at a closed-door congressional hearing. "Ms. Ruemmler has been open and transparent about her interactions with Jeffrey Epstein when she was a defense lawyer in private practice many years ago. She did nothing wrong and had nothing to do with Epstein's crimes," said Jennifer Connelly, a spokeswoman for Ruemmler.