John B. Quinn is the founder and chairman of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, the largest law firm in the world devoted solely to business litigation and arbitration, and is himself regarded as one of the top trial lawyers globally.
Since its foundation in Los Angeles in 1986, John and his partners have built an institution which The Wall Street Journal calls a “global litigation powerhouse.” Under John’s leadership, Quinn Emanuel has grown to 35 offices on four continents, with over 1100 lawyers, generating more than $1.6 billion in revenue annually. In recent years, the firm has recovered over $80 billion for plaintiffs and has achieved equally remarkable results in cases in which it has represented defendants.
In an annual survey conducted by independent research provider BTI Consulting Group, top legal decision makers at over 300 of the world’s largest organizations were asked to name the law firm that they least wanted to see an opposing counsel. Quinn Emanuel is consistently ranked number one as the world’s most feared litigation law firm.
In a 2016 poll conducted by Bloomberg LP’s Big Law Business, John was named the “most famous practicing lawyer in the world” at a large law firm. Described as a “master strategist” by American Lawyer, he has been hailed for his unique vision in building a litigation-only global firm and for the decision not to represent the world’s largest money center banks, so the firm can be adverse to them.
Quinn Emanuel is consistently ranked number one as the most feared litigation law firm in the world.
John is a sought-after public speaker. At the Milken Institute in Beverly Hills (May 2022), he chaired the panel “Do Investors Finally Understand ESG?” and at the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh (October 2021), he chaired the panel “What Policies Most Encourage Foreign Investment?” By directing debates and discussions to identify key issues, and diving deep into the arguments put forward, John’s keynotes inspire and inform in equal measure.
For 33 years, he served as General Counsel to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars. John is an avid mountain climber, Ironman triathlete, father of five, and contemporary art enthusiast. In 2016, he opened the Museum of Broken Relationships on Hollywood Boulevard, and in 2021, he launched an artist-in-residence program at Quinn Emanuel to create a platform for emerging and mid-career artists in greater Los Angeles. He is also the owner of Q SUSHI, an omakase-only Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in downtown Los Angeles.
“One of the nation’s most fearless litigators”
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Accomplishments:
Chambers & Partners Global 2023 review: USA – Nationwide, Litigation: Trial Lawyers – Band 1
Chambers & Partners Global 2022 review: USA – Nationwide, Litigation: Trial Lawyers – Band 1
- Chambers & Partners Global 2022 review: California, Litigation: General Commercial – The Elite Band 1
- Finisher, Ironman Triathlon World Championship, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, 1999 & 2004
