NEW YORK, June 24, 2004 – LAWFUEL – The National Law Journal has singled out Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP partner James W. Quinn as among 10 “winning” attorneys for his “big trial wins” within the past 18 months, as well as a track record of success over many years. The feature on Quinn appears in the publication’s June 21, 2004, issue, under the headline “Winning: Successful Strategies From 10 of the Nation’s Top Litigators.” A 33-year Weil Gotshal veteran, Quinn chairs the firm’s 500-lawyer litigation practice, which was recognized as one of the top six in the United States in the January issue of The American Lawyer magazine.
Stephen J. Dannhauser, chairman of Weil Gotshal, said, “The number one goal of our litigation practice and its lawyers is to produce successful results for our clients—in or out of court. However, it is always rewarding when our litigators, whom we believe to be among the best in the world, are honored by publications such as The National Law Journal and The American Lawyer. In particular, Jim, with whom I have been privileged to work for almost 30 years, deserves to be congratulated for his keen trial skills representing clients across many industries—from nuclear power to sports, from entertainment to plastics. The firm is delighted and honored by this outstanding recognition of Jim.”
In the June 21 issue, The National Law Journal recognized Quinn as having mastered “the art of distilling complexity into a win.” The article cited Quinn’s $416- million jury-verdict victory for client ExxonMobil Corporation and its affiliate, Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical, against a Saudi company that had violated a joint venture agreement (Saudi Basic Industries Corp. v. Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Co., New Castle Co., Del., Super. Ct., No. 00C-07-161-JRJ). According to The National Law Journal, the verdict was “Quinn-tessential lawyering by a veteran litigator who has perfected the art of presenting a succinct case even when the contested issues are complex and unfamiliar to jurors.”
The publication also recognized Quinn’s February 2004 victory for ESPN in a $231-million lawsuit brought by Modi Entertainment Network, an Indian conglomerate involved in the cable business in India (Modi Enterprises et al v. ESPN et al ). The jury rendered a complete defense verdict for ESPN in a case in which Modi asserted claims for breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition and breach of fiduciary duty. Quinn also won a $1.8 million counterclaim for ESPN.
The ExxonMobil case was tried applying Saudi law, and the ESPN case was tried under New York and Indian law.
Quinn’s trial tips revealed in The National Law Journal are to: (1) keep direct and cross-examinations concise; (2) cross-examine the witness, not the case; and (3) use testimony to build an exhibit as evidence.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is an international law firm of more than 1,100 attorneys, including approximately 300 partners. Weil Gotshal is headquartered in New York, with offices in Austin, Boston, Brussels, Budapest, Dallas, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Miami, Munich, Paris, Prague, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Warsaw and Washington, D.C.