Quinn Emanuel co-founder John Quinn steps down after four decades at the top

John Quinn is stepping down from the management of Quinn Emanuel, marking the end of an era for one of Big Law’s most influential leaders.

The litigation powerhouse said Quinn, who currently serves as executive chairman, will step down from his leadership role after four decades at the top of the firm he co-founded in 1986. He will remain a partner and take on a non-executive chair role focused on client development and promoting the firm.

Co-managing partners Bill Burck and Mike Carlinsky, who have shared leadership responsibilities with Quinn since 2022, will continue running the firm day to day.

“We thank John for his tireless efforts over the last 40 years in building the world's leading disputes firm. John has been a great firm leader and lawyer, and it continues to be a privilege to be a part of this great firm,” Burck and Carlinsky said in a statement.

Building a litigation giant

Quinn was one of the founding partners behind the disputes-only model that helped Quinn Emanuel become one of the most successful firms in the world.

The firm was launched in Los Angeles in 1986 by Quinn and three colleagues after they broke away from a small New York firm where they had been operating what was initially intended to be a West Coast outpost.

Speaking on The Non-Billable Podcast last year, Quinn said the team had been forced to “scramble” for work after expected referrals from New York failed to materialise. Once they had built enough of their own client base, they decided to launch independently.

The litigation-only strategy was not fully planned from the outset. Quinn said the founders were initially open-minded about building a broader practice before realising that specialising exclusively in disputes gave the firm a clear market position.

That model also allowed Quinn Emanuel to pursue claims against major financial institutions that many full-service firms avoided because of conflicts tied to transactional relationships.

Over time, that strategy became a defining part of the firm’s growth story.

A disputes powerhouse

From its four-lawyer launch, Quinn Emanuel has grown into one of the world’s largest litigation firms, generating around $2.8 billion in revenue last year with profits per equity partner of $9.5 million, according to The American Lawyer.

The firm now operates globally and is widely regarded as one of the dominant players in high-stakes commercial litigation and arbitration.

Quinn Emanuel’s London office is a key revenue and profit driver. Last year, the practice surged to a 68% profit margin, placing it among the most profitable law firm operations in the City, with revenues of £227 million.