John M. O'Quinn 1941-2009

Renowned trial attorney and Law Center alum John O’Quinn ’67 died on Thursday, Oct. 29, in a one-vehicle accident on rain-slickened Allen Parkway west of downtown.  A second occupant in the SUV was also killed.  

O’Quinn’s generosity to the Law Center is recognized in the library bearing his name, along with an endowed chair – the A.L. O’Quinn Chair in Environmental Law – named in honor of his father.

 O’Quinn also was a benefactor of the University of Houston in general and many charities and institutions, including the Harris County Children's Assessment Center, the Houston Council on Alcohol and Drugs, and various Texas Medical Center entities. He was a frequent speaker at the Law Center, where he was always eager to share his expertise with the next generation of attorneys.

O’Quinn, 68, was raised in West University Place where his father operated a small garage. He attended Rice University as an engineering major before enrolling in the law school and finding his true calling. "From minute one of day one of class one, I felt like a duck who'd gone to water," he told the Houston Chronicle for a lengthy profile in 1998. "I knew this is where I should be."