Quinn Emanuel

Quinn Emanuel (formally, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan) is a US law firm headquartered in Los Angeles.

The firm is widely considered a global litigation powerhouse - certainly one of the premier disputes firms - and has consistently been voted “the world’s most-feared law firm” (strictly in the legal disputes sense of course i.e. it's the firm no one wants to face in litigation).

Established in 1986 by John B. Quinn, Eric Emanuel, David Quinto and Phyllis Kupferstein, the disputes specialist has grown rapidly in its four-decade history.

Today, it claims the title of the largest litigation-only firm in the world, with more than 1,100 lawyers operating across 35 offices in the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Quinn Emanuel’s track record is impressive to say the least.

Known for its hard-nosed strategy and deep industry expertise, the firm boasts a win rate of 86% over more than 2,500 trials and arbitrations, winning a total of some $70 billion in settlements and awards for its clients.

And it’s not just clients who have reaped the rewards - profit margins at Quinn Emanuel have ranged between 60-80% in recent years, putting it among the most profitable law firms globally.

Quinn Emanuel’s London office has grown rapidly in both scale and reputation since its 2008 opening and has become one of the fiercest litigation shops this side of the Atlantic.

Growing from boutique to rubbing shoulders with rival market leaders in less than 20 years, it now employs over 120 lawyers, including around 30 partners.

The office has attracted some of the most sought-after litigation talent from top City firms, poaching for its own ranks names like Stephen Jagusch KC (from A&O), Ted Greeno (from Herbert Smith Freehills), and founding London partner Richard East (from Kirkland & Ellis).

Quinn Emanuel is often compared to other top-tier litigation firms like Kirkland, Paul Weiss and Skadden. However, its singular focus on disputes work leaves the firm uniquely placed in the global legal landscape.

Other things to know

Breaking £200m in London: Quinn Emanuel’s London office revenue reached £220 million in 2024 - a 12% jump on the previous year and the first time revenue has surpassed the £200 million mark.

Busy Founding Partner: Despite the pressures of running a world-leading law firm, John B. Quinn, founding partner of Quinn Emanuel, has his fair share of side hustles.

He runs a weekly legal podcast called ‘Law, Disrupted’, and owns a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in downtown Los Angeles named Q Sushi. For over 30 years, he was also GC of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organisation behind the Oscars. Back in 2016, he was named the ‘Most Famous Practising Lawyer’ in the world by Bloomberg.

What is Quinn Emanuel known for?

Quinn Emanuel is a disputes-only firm. In the UK market, it’s best known for its disputes work in the following areas:

Commercial Litigation: Quinn Emanuel is considered a go-to adviser for high stakes commercial litigation, with a focus on claimant work - particularly against banks and financial institutions (something many City firms can’t do over conflicts issues). The firm’s practice has a Band 2 ranking by Chambers.

Restructuring/Insolvency: Quinn Emanuel has one of the City’s leading practices for handling high-profile restructuring and insolvency disputes. The firm is ranked Band 1 by Chambers for restructuring and insolvency disputes.

International Arbitration: Quinn Emanuel has a highly regarded international arbitration practice, particularly known for handling high-value arbitrations across the construction, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. The firm has a Band 2 ranking by Chambers for commercial arbitration and a Band 1 ranking for investor-state arbitration.

What's Chambers?

We use Chambers rankings to demonstrate a firm's strengths. Chambers is the most highly-regarded provider of law firm rankings in the legal industry. Law firms are ranked in bands from 1 (highest) to 6 (lowest) across a range of practice areas.

It's important to note that being ranked in any band at all is still considered a significant achievement.

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Who does Quinn Emanuel compete with?

In the UK market, Quinn Emanuel competes with the City’s other premier disputes firms, including Herbert Smith Freehills, Hogan Lovells, and the Magic Circle firms.

In 2023, Quinn Emanuel’s global revenue was $2.08 billion.

In 2023, its profit per equity partner (PEP) was $7.27 million.

How much does a partner at Quinn Emanuel make?

In 2023, Quinn Emanuel’s average profit per equity partner (PEP) was $7.27 million.

This is the total amount of profit available for distribution among equity partners, divided by the number of equity partners at the firm.

This represents the average amount that equity partners are entitled to. Some will receive significantly more, some less. It depends on the firm’s profit-sharing formula and each partner’s seniority.

How many trainees does Quinn Emanuel take?

Quinn Emanuel does not offer training contracts in the UK.