Joe Jamail
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph D. Jamail, Jr (born October 19, 1925 in Houston, Texas) is a Lebanese American attorney and billionaire. One of the wealthiest lawyers in America, he is frequently referred to as the King of Torts. In 1985, Mr. Jamail represented Pennzoil in a lawsuit against Texaco. Pennzoil won the case and his contingency fee was $335 million. Mr. Jamail has given large donations to The University of Texas at Austin. The football field at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is named Joe Jamail Field in his honor, and so is the Joseph D. Jamail, Jr. Pavilion at The University of Texas School of Law. Also located on the University of Texas campus is the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, named for him and his wife. The University has erected two statues on campus in his honor.
On May 14, 2008, The University of Texas announced a $15 million gift from Joe Jamail to support the Law School, Nursing School, and the College of Undergraduate Studies. In response to the gift, the university has renamed a large meeting in the tower building to the Lee Hage Jamail Academic Room.[1]
Jamail is known for his passionate, aggressive, sometimes abrasive advocacy on behalf of his clients — a tendency that has been noted in the National Law Journal, by the Supreme Court of Delaware[2] as well as other sources. In April 2006, a particularly sharp exchange, titled "Joe Jamail takes a deposition defended by Edward Carstarphen. Hilarity ensues" or "Texas-Style Deposition", appeared[3] on various blogs and internet sites (particularly related to American law).
Jamail is a graduate of St. Thomas High School in Houston, Texas and the The University of Texas where he received his (B.A., 1950) and The University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 1953). The University has created the Joseph D. Jamail Centennial Chair in Law and Advocacy.
[edit] References
- ^ statesman.com
- ^ Paramount Communications Inc. v. QVC Network Inc., 637 A.2d 34, 54 (Del. 1994)
- ^ Lawyerin' Ain't Easy. Blog. Brainwidth (April 6, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-04-16.
