Joe Jamail
Joseph Dahr Jamail, Jr. (October 19, 1925 – December 23, 2015) was an American attorney and billionaire. The wealthiest practicing attorney in America, he was frequently referred to as the "King of Torts".
In 2011, his net worth was estimated by Forbes to be $1.5 billion, making him the 833rd richest person in the world. Joseph Jamail died on December 23, 2015 in Houston.
Early life and education
Jamail was born to a Lebanese family. He was a graduate of St. Thomas High School in Houston, Texas. He attended the The University of Texas at Austin (UT) for one semester before joining the United States Marine Corps in 1943.
After serving in the Pacific during World War II, Jamail returned to UT, where he received his B.A. in 1950 and The University of Texas School of Law where he received his J.D. in 1953. In 1986 The University of Texas School of Law created the Joseph D. Jamail Centennial Chair in Law and Advocacy in his honor. His son is also a practicing lawyer in Texas.
Career
In 1985, Jamail represented Pennzoil, whose CEO Hugh Liedtke was Jamail's close friend, in a lawsuit against Texaco. Pennzoil won the case and his contingency fee was $335 million.
